Consumer acceptance of prepaid metering and consumer preferences

Prepaid metering can be an important technology for effective demand side management. However, successful adoption of this technology is hinged on a positive user experience. Hence, consumer perceptions have to be taken into account even at the early stages of development and prior to the deployment of this technology. Two consumer studies on electricity prepaid metering were conducted in the province of Palawan, Philippines. In the first study, it was shown, by applying the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) that consumer perceptions on ease of use, usefulness, and affordability were associated with their overall attitude towards prepaid metering, which in turn was related to their intention to use prepaid metering. The result of the second study highlights consumer preferences on features of a basic prepaid metering system. These results are useful in the development and deployment of prepaid metering particularly for developing countries.