Alice Solar City Control Group

Do you know someone who is NOT INTERESTED in ever joining the Alice Solar City project?

We would like to find 200 people who have no intention of ever signing up to Alice Solar City. Why? Alice Solar City is all about energy trials – finding out what gets you motivated to save energy, what doesn’t, and your attitudes and knowledge of energy use.

As part of the monitoring and evaluation of Alice Solar City, we are looking to recruit a control group, to allow us to compare the energy consumption patterns and attitudes of Alice Solar City participants to those of non participants. This will help us find out if the energy related changes in the participant group can be attributed or linked to the Alice Solar City project, or if they would have occurred anyway – so as a member of the control group you can make an important contribution to the Alice Springs community. We need a consistent control group for a period of approximately 2 years, and longer if participants are available.

Receive a $100 gift card

In return for being a member of the control group over the period of its operation (approximately 2 years) all participants will receive a $100 gift card to spend at a store of their choice.

  • BP or Shell (fuel card)
  • Coles or Woolworths
  • Kmart or Target
  • Mitre 10 or Home Timber & Hardware
  • Dymocks

Who can join and what are the criteria?

  • You must have no intention of becoming a customer of Alice Solar City for approximately 2 years.
  • Just be yourself/yourselves and carry on your lifestyle as normal.
  • We will ask you to sign a registration form, provide basic information about your household, and give permission for Power and Water to supply Alice Solar City with your quarterly electricity consumption information for the past year and until your involvement or the group finishes.
  • We will supply you with a new ‘Smart Meter’ to replace your existing electricity meter. This meter records your electricity usage every half hour, and will be a benefit in the future (this will not affect in any way how your electricity is charged).
  • We will ask you to complete an initial questionnaire, and again after 15-18 months.
  • If you agree, you may participate in a follow-up discussion with an Alice Solar City staff member (the questionnaire is likely to take 10-25 minutes to complete, and the follow-up discussion about half an hour).

What sorts of things do we want to find out about the Alice Solar City Program?

The overall monitoring and evaluation of Alice Solar City aims to show us how the program, over its 5 year life, has influenced the Alice Springs community in these ways:

  • Electricity consumption and electricity savings
  • Knowledge about energy use and conservation
  • Awareness of the environmental implications of energy consumption and its reduction
  • Attitudes and daily habitual behaviours that relate to energy use and its reduction
  • Community commitment/efforts to contribute to environmental goals
  • Investments in electricity infrastructure.

When will I find out if the information I provide in the control group is assisting Alice Solar City?

You will receive short general progress reports about the monitoring and evaluation project, and you will have the option to receive more detailed information. Overall group information and progress will also be available on the Alice Solar City website.

Ethics and privacy

The proposed work with customers and control groups to assess the progress and outcomes of the ASC program has been approved by the Central Australian Human Research Ethics Committee, which includes consent, privacy and confidentiality aspects.  Your personal details will not be shared with third parties, without your approval.

For more information

For further information call Chris Penna, Alice Solar City Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, on 8950 4355 or email chris.penna@alicesolarcity.com.au

How do I apply?

To express your interest in becoming part of the control group you can apply by phone or fill out this simple online form. We will then get in touch with you to take the next step.