Virtual power plants and automated demand-response programs have increased across the U.S., though the industry still hasn’t figured out how to talk to the customers it needs to enroll.
Researchers from the UC Davis Market Transformation Research Program include content analysis of 51 residential load-flexibility (LF) program websites. Research was presented at the 2026 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings.
One of the study’s key findings is that utilities are leaving potential motivating language on the table. Of the webpages that mention a collective benefit, only 57% actually name a beneficiary. That’s the difference between saying “reduce stress on the power grid” and saying “you’ll be benefiting your community by helping keep the electric grid reliable and resilient.”
Only 22% of programs frame participation itself as collective action. That kind of messaging, such as “you’re not just a participant, you’re a partner in our collective effort,” is linked in behavioral research to increased efficacy and normative social influence.
For VPPs, whose value depends on aggregating thousands of households, researchers argue this is a missed opportunity. They note that highlighting when hundreds of other customers are already participating can be a more powerful motivator than utilities currently use.
The paper recommends a straightforward messaging approach. Programs should name and define the concept instead of avoiding it. They should explain the rationale by pairing peak demand with dynamic pricing and renewables, something some pages already do in just a few sentences. They should invest in visual aids like simulated device interfaces and infographics. And, perhaps most actionable, they should frame both the benefits and the act of participation as collective, naming the community or beneficiary instead of leaving it implicit.