CPS ENERGY: Recognized As Environmental Champion For Second Year In A Row By Market Strategies International

CPS Energy issued the following announcement on April 19.

CPS Energy has been designated a 2018 Environmental Champion for the 2nd year in a row by Market Strategies International. The study shows that demand for programs to help consumers manage their energy use and reduce their own environmental footprint has seen a steady increase over the past four years. Many utilities across the nation have recognized this trend and are benefiting from the consumption and carbon footprint management offerings they have implemented. The findings can be reviewed in the 2018 Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement™: Residential, a Cogent Reports™ study by Market Strategies International.

Additionally, more than half (57%) of utility customers surveyed prefer renewable energy and natural gas sources, and customers now show more support for utility investments in expanding environmentally friendly energy resources than for reliability of customer service improvements.

Generation Fuel Preference

Source: Market Strategies International. Cogent Reports™. Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement™: Residential, March 2018.

In honor of Earth Day (April 22), Market Strategies is awarding the 2018 Environmental Champion designation to 43 utilities. As a group, these 43 utilities have improved their Environmental Dedication performance score by an average of eight points this year while the score for all other utilities declined by an average of ten points.

"In a celebration of Earth Day, we are pleased to recognize the great improvements our Environmental Champion utilities have made to improve their environmental programs," said Chris Oberle, senior vice president at Market Strategies International. "It is important to pay attention to your environmental reputation, as it is now a permanent part of the utility business model."

"Earth Day is a great time to highlight CPS Energy's long term and growing commitment to help improve the environment. It emphasizes our historical passion for giving our customers great energy solutions, while reducing emissions," said Paula Gold-Williams, President & CEO of CPS Energy. "This is all well aligned to our new Flexible Path initiative that further showcases our continuing commitment to:

• Significantly, yet objectively, increase renewable generation,
• Maintain resilient energy systems, and
• Provide a robust portfolio of energy saving programs to help our customers personally reduce their consumption again while saving money."

"As the largest municipally owned utility in the country, CPS Energy continues to be a model utility providing choice and environmental benefits to our community," said Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Mayor of San Antonio. "The utility continuously brings enlightened solutions to our City and stands out as an energy leader in the nation."

CPS Energy leads in solar generation, #1 in Texas and #6 in the nation, and is one of the largest wind buyers in the nation. Combined with their efforts in solar power and other renewable projects, CPS Energy hopes to achieve 1,500 MW of renewable energy power, or 20 percent of total generation capacity, by 2020. Since 1997, they have reduced their NOx emissions by 75% and will close the J.T. Deely coal unit at the end of 2018, 15 years ahead of schedule. They continue to provide rebates to customers who take action to participate in a robust selection of energy saving programs.

To become an Environmental Champion, a utility needs to show customers its dedication to supporting the environment by promoting clean energy, enabling consumption management, facilitating environmental causes, encouraging environmentally friendly fleets and buildings, and consistently seeking ways to protect the environment. The utility industry's Environmental Dedication score now stands at 672 (on a 1,000-point scale). CPS Energy ranked in the top 20 nationally among the utilities in the Environmental Dedication Index scoring and in the top 5 in the area MSI designates as the South region.

* Environmental Champions were selected based on achieving a top-quartile industry or top-two benchmark segment score, or being within 20 points of the top benchmark score and above industry average for Environmental Dedication.

About Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement: Residential study

Market Strategies conducted surveys among 62,565 residential electric, natural gas and combination utility customers of the 131 largest US utility companies (based on residential customer counts). The sample design uses a combination of quotas and weighting based on US census data to ensure a demographically balanced sample of each evaluated utility's customers based on age, gender, income, race and ethnicity. Utilities within the same region and of the same type (e.g., electric-only providers) are given equal weight in order to balance the influence of each utility's customers on survey results. Market Strategies will supply the exact wording of any survey questions upon request.

About Market Strategies International

Market Strategies International is a leading provider of research and consulting services to utility management, trusted by the world's most successful organizations to help them thrive. We blend primary research with data from our syndicated, benchmarking and self-funded studies to provide clients with exceptional research insight that helps solve their challenges. Our research specialties include brand, communications, CX, product development and segmentation. Our syndicated products, known as Cogent Reports, help clients understand the market environment, explore industry trends and monitor their brand within the competitive landscape. Founded in 1989, Market Strategies is one of the largest market research firms in the world. Read Market Strategies' blog at FreshMR, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Original source can be found here.