This is part three of a six-part series offering a comprehensive guide into the 6 Must-Have Requirements For Getting Meter Data With A Utility API.

Here are the six parts:

1. 6 Must-Have Requirements For Getting Meter Data With A Utility API (Summary)

2. Utility API Must-Haves #1: Coverage, Utility Bill Data & Interval Meter Data

3. Utility API Must-Haves #2: Customer Experience For Accessing Utility Data

4. Utility API Must-Haves #3: Reliable Utility Data Management

5. Utility API Must-Haves #4/5: Dev Friendly Meter Data Collection & Security

6. Utility API Must-Haves #6: Total Cost Of Ownership

Introduction

Securing explicit customer permission is a must for utility data management, but a slow or confusing process will push customers away—hurting customer funnel conversion percentages, acquisition and retention. To be most useful, utility data should be delivered quickly and refreshed often. Here’s what to consider:

Explain Utility Data-Sharing Clearly

Customers need to understand exactly what they’re sharing and why. Clarity here builds trust and encourages completion

Streamline Credential Collection

1. • In the past, utilities required lengthy letters of authorization (LOA). Modern solutions instead let customers use their utility login credentials (via Green Button Connect My Data (CMD) or other secure means)

   • Target quick credential verification—5 seconds or less across all utilities—to avoid customer drop-offs

Handle Utility Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

A growing number of utilities now require MFA – some utilities require it for 100% of customers while others make MFA optional. Even in the optional cases, typically between 16-50% of the customers for that utility will have MFA on their utility accounts, making solving for it an essential requirement. Your solution should seamlessly guide customers through entering any codes or prompts in seconds

Address Lost or Unknown Credentials

1. • Offer direct links to utility login pages and “forgot username/password” workflows.

   • As a fallback, allow bill uploads or manual entry of account info for customers who don’t have online utility accounts (though this limits data access).

Utility Data Delivery:

1. • Initial: 

     1. Once a customer authenticates, aim for a 60-second or faster data delivery (for both bills and intervals) in the utility api across all utilities.

     2. This ensures meter data can be used immediately when presenting offers for clean energy devices or insights into their utility data – especially important for residential customers and small-to-medium sized businesses.

   • Ongoing Refreshes: Customer data should be refreshed often (~once every day for new utility bills and intervals.

Provide Low-Friction Re-Authorization

1. • Credentials expire, MFA tokens lapse, or the original authorization window closes. Your solution should detect when re-authorization is needed and smoothly prompt customers to renew their data-sharing consent.

Key Questions for Potential Solution Providers

• Is the authorization flow fast and straightforward for customers?

• For each utility how long does the credential-sharing step take? (Aim for 5 seconds or less.)

• Does the solution fully support utility MFA requirements?

• How do you handle customers who can’t recall their login info?

• How do you track when data-sharing expires, and how is re-authorization handled?

• After a customer authenticates, how long until I have the utility bill data/interval meter data? How does this vary by utility? (Target 60 seconds or less)

• How often is data refreshed?

• How long is the time from when a bill is issued to the customer to when we get data from your solution?

Wrap Up

If you have any questions about implementing a utility API or would like more details on how these requirements fit your unique use case, schedule a call with James (Bayou’s CEO). We’d love to learn more about what you’re building and how we might be able to help.

To continue reading, Here are the six parts of this series:

1. 6 Must-Have Requirements For Getting Meter Data With A Utility API (Summary)

2. Utility API Must-Haves #1: Coverage, Utility Bill Data & Interval Meter Data

3. Utility API Must-Haves #2: Customer Experience For Accessing Utility Data

4. Utility API Must-Haves #3: Reliable Utility Data Management

5. Utility API Must-Haves #4/5: Dev Friendly Meter Data Collection & Security

6. Utility API Must-Haves #6: Total Cost Of Ownership