Get ready to be encouraged, pushed or otherwise cajoled into cutting power consumption.

But this push isn’t coming from the feds. It’ll be from electric utility providers. They’re looking for ways to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and for them, the most cost-effective way is to cut customer demand for electricity.

To develop these demand-reduction programs, the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is funding pilot programs to find ways to change their customers’ energy consumption habits.

A key initial target: small commercial facilities. BPA says these operations represent a “significant, untapped” source of energy savings.

BPA is working with smaller utilities in the Northwest to develop behavior-based efficiency programs at small companies, nonprofits and energy companies.

Making it obvious

One pilot project will collect real-time energy usage at Starbucks stores and make this data immediately available to employees.

Once employees recognize their impact on energy usage, they’ll be challenged to find ways to reduce demand. BPA hopes stores will compete with each other to encourage greater energy efficiencies.

For more, go here.