Reduce Your Use® and get rewarded

When electricity demand is high, our Reduce Your Use program will use your smart thermostat to help you conserve energy and potentially save money. It's free and easy to join!

 

Plus, you'll receive a $25 bill credit* just for signing up!

Get started
Reduce your Use logo in orange
Reduce your Use logo in orange
Reduce your Use logo in orange

Reduce your use when demand is high

When electricity demand is high, a Reduce Your Use event automatically adjusts your smart thermostat a few degrees to help you conserve without lifting a finger. Don't worry — you're always in control and can change the temperature at any time.

How does the Reduce Your Use program work?

Customers sign up to voluntarily conserve energy when electricity demand is high

Electricity demand increases due to weather or other events

A Reduce Your Use event is called and registered smart thermostats will automatically adjust

Reduced usage helps conserve energy during periods of high demand

man-working-on-laptop-smiling
man-working-on-laptop-smiling
man-working-on-laptop-smiling

It's free and easy to join, plus you get a $25 bill credit just for signing up!

  1. Sign up for the Reduce Your Use program with your participating smart thermostat below.
  2. After 2 billing cycles, you will receive your $25 bill credit.*
  3. When electricity demand is high, your smart thermostat will notify you of a Reduce Your Use event and automatically adjust to help you conserve.

Choose your smart thermostat

Nest thermostat on wall
Nest thermostat on wall
Nest thermostat on wall

Google Nest

Sign up to allow your Google Nest thermostat to automatically adjust during periods of high demand.


Honeywell thermostat on wall
Honeywell thermostat on wall
Honeywell thermostat on wall

Honeywell Home

Sign up to allow your Honeywell Home thermostat to automatically adjust during periods of high demand.


Emerson thermostat on wall
Emerson thermostat on wall

Emerson Sensi

Sign up to allow your Emerson Sensi thermostat to automatically adjust during periods of high demand.

Don't have a smart thermostat?

Frequently asked questions

Show all answers

During periods of high electricity demand, a participating smart thermostat will automatically tweak temperatures up to 4 degrees to balance energy savings and comfort. Reduce Your Use events can last up to 4 hours, but you can change the temperature on your thermostat at any time.

During peak summer and winter months when electricity demand is anticipated to be high, your smart thermostat automatically adjusts a few degrees to decrease your AC run time and conserve energy. This is known as a Reduce Your Use event. This small change is good for you and your wallet. To participate, you must connect your eligible smart thermostat to Wi-Fi and sign up for the Reduce Your Use program using the links above. Once you do, your smart thermostat and its app will let you know when a Reduce Your Use event starts.

During a Reduce Your Use event, your thermostat will automatically adjust temperatures a few degrees to save electricity while keeping you comfortable. But you can choose to change the temperature and opt out of that particular event at any time.

  • There can be multiple Reduce Your Use events throughout the year.
  • Reduce Your Use events can occur at any time of year between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. (Central)
  • There can be more than one Reduce Your Use event per day.
  • If there is an energy emergency on the electric grid, Direct Energy may need to call a critical Reduce Your Use event. Critical Reduce Your Use events can occur at any time of day.

An eligible smart thermostat from Google Nest, Honeywell Home, or Emerson Sensi is required to participate in the Direct Energy Reduce Your Use program along with Wi-Fi and an active account with your smart thermostat's app.

If you have more than one eligible thermostat, you can enroll each one to participate in Reduce Your Use events.

Eligible smart thermostats include:

Google Nest

  • Nest Learning Thermostat (all generations)
  • Nest Thermostat
  • Nest Thermostat E

Honeywell

  • VisionPRO 8000 with RedLINK Gateway
  • VisionPRO 8000 Smart
  • 9000 Smart
  • Prestige IAQ
  • Wi-Fi FocusPRO 6000
  • Wi-Fi 7-Day Programmable
  • Wi-Fi 7-Day Programmable Touchscreen
  • Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat
  • Wi-Fi 9000
  • T9 Pro Smart Thermostat
  • T10 Pro Smart Thermostat
  • T5+ Pro Smart Thermostat
  • T6 Pro Smart Thermostat
  • Round Smart Thermostat

You must set up your thermostat using the free Honeywell Total Connect Comfort app in order to register your device in the Reduce Your Use program.

Emerson

  • Sensi Smart Thermostat
  • Sensi Touch Smart Thermostat

Depending on your thermostat, notifications may appear on your thermostat and in its mobile app when a Reduce Your Use event is in progress. During the event, your smart thermostat will adjust your target temperature by no more than 4 degrees. You can override these automatic adjustments at any time if you choose. Your thermostat will return to its regular schedule after the Reduce Your Use event has ended.

Depending on your thermostat, notifications may appear on the thermostat or in its mobile app when a Reduce Your Use event is in progress.

  • Google Nest: A gold gear icon will appear on the display of your Google Nest thermostat and your Google Home or Nest app to let you know that an energy event is now taking place.
  • Honeywell: You will receive an Energy Savings Event notification in the Total Connect Comfort app to let you know that an energy event is taking place.
  • Sensi: On the Sensi thermostat, if you're currently in an event, you'll see "Active Savings Event" on the thermostat display, along with the time that event will end. The same information is available in the Sensi app.

You can override the modified temperatures at any point by changing the temperature directly on your smart thermostat or in its app. Your thermostat will keep the temperatures you set and then return to your regular schedule.

Yes. However, events are more likely to happen during summer and winter months when electricity demand is particularly high. You can always opt out of the event by changing the temperature on your thermostat.

Your participation in the Reduce Your Use program does not affect your current Direct Energy electricity plan.

You may cancel your Reduce Your Use program enrollment at any time by calling Direct Energy at 1-888-548-7540.

Reduce your use, save money and help conserve energy. Simply sign up with your thermostat to get started.

Direct Energy customers who enroll in Reduce Your Use , will receive a one-time $25 bill credit, which will be applied to the Direct Energy electricity account enrolled within 2 billing cycles. Offer does not apply to customers receiving smart thermostats pre-provisioned for Reduce Your Use. Not redeemable for cash; Direct Energy electricity account must be active at time of credit award to receive credit. Direct Energy reserves the right to discontinue or change this program without notice.

Direct Energy is not affiliated with Google, Honeywell Home or Emerson Sensi or the products and services they market. Google, Google Nest, Google Home, Nest Learning Thermostat, Nest Thermostat and Nest Thermostat E are trademarks of Google LLC. Honeywell Home is a trademark of Honeywell International Inc. Emerson and Sensi are trademarks of Emerson Electric Co.

Detailed terms & conditions here

Need help placing an order?
Texas customers: Call us at 1-855-461-1926
Northeast and Midwest customers: Contact us


Questions about your current service?
Texas customers: Call us at 1-888-305-3828
Northeast and Midwest customers: Contact us