In this week’s UtilityXpert Round up, we explore some of the industry’s leaders take a stab at educating and fulfilling homeowners need for smart home equipment. Elsewhere, we look at some of the industry’s biggest trends for 2019, and Maine is thinking of adopting the “Nebraska” model for public power utilities. Utilities are listening to their customers, and everyone wins.

Home automation: using data to deliver value propositions that work (UAI)

The majority of homeowners are not aware of where to make smart home purchases, but here are five value propositions that work from IOUs like AEP Ohio, PECO, Avista, SMUD and BC Hydro. These are five data-driven home automation propositions that work. From discovering new sources of revenue to data collection and analysis that lead to customer experience, becoming an integral part of the smart home value chain makes good business sense for utilities.

2019 Power and Utilities Industry Outlook (Deloitte)

According to Deloitte, utilities are embracing new technologies to serve increasingly demanding and sophisticated customers. However, regulatory structures must fight to keep up. Read about how far and fast the industry is changing and what we should look out for in the new year in Deloitte’s 2019 Power and Utilities Outlook, a take from Scott Smith, US Power & Utilities leader, Deloitte LLP.

Bill would replace CMP, Emera Maine with a public utility. Here's how it works in Nebraska (WGME)

Nebraska is the only U.S. state that fully relies on consumer-owned utility companies rather than for-profit corporations for electricity. It has 162 public utilities. Public ownership of utilities is increasingly being turned to as a viable option as power companies across the country struggle to keep electricity rates competitive, to weather disasters and to stay in business.

Utilities have multiple ways to drive lower energy use — on Pecan Street, only price matters (Utility Dive)

For utilities looking to influence customer energy use — shifting demand to off-peak hours, for instance — there is a growing body of research that concludes the simplest solution is price. That may seem obvious, but the findings contrast with programs that rely on social cues and call for conservation in an attempt to manage customer demand through "behavioral demand response."

Eversource turns to non-wires solution in outage-plagued New Hampshire town (Utility Dive)

Eversource Energy is turning to efficiency and energy storage to help maintain reliability in a small, rural New Hampshire town prone to outages, rather than spend $6 million to construct a new 10-mile distribution circuit.