Deloitte report highlights EnergySage as solution to utilities' biggest challenge
In May 2017, the Deloitte Center for Energy Solutions published a report about how utilities can increase offerings for electricity customers and featured EnergySage as a solution alongside other products and programs from Ameren, Clean Energy Collective, Engie and others (see inset quote below). The shift from “passive consumption” to “active customer participation” in energy offerings is a growing trend amongst utilities in North America, Europe and Australia.
Utilities are, according to Deloitte’s report:
- Adapting their strategy to a changing customer landscape, driven by growing consumer interest in renewables and energy management
- Discovering ways to leverage customer participation in order to retain and engage customers
- Exploring how to monetize distributed energy resources, by partnering with a marketplace provider like EnergySage
- Developing community solar offerings
- Providing customers with digital energy management tools
Customer demand is driving the market for renewables. Deloitte’s research points to lower pricing and a growing concern about climate change as drivers of this growing demand. Government policy, which has historically led Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS), is also contributing. For example, the New York Public Service Commission’s Reforming the Energy Vision is aiding this evolution by encouraging pilot programs that offer customers more choices in programming and create new business models at utilities.
“Growing demand for renewable energy is driving business model change up and down the electric utility value chain.”
Deloitte’s findings are consistent with what EnergySage has been hearing from utilities across the U.S. and Europe.
Utilities are feeling squeezed as their customers begin to look elsewhere for lower-cost sources of electricity, prompting them to explore new ways to respond to an evolving consumer landscape. What was once a function of how progressive a utility was has become a matter of whether or not they’ve accepted the inevitability of solar. This parallels the story of climate change: parties were once focused on mitigation, now there are more discussions about adaptation.
At EnergySage, we’ve found that the most solar savvy utilities of the future are looking to:
- Empower customers with better information and resources about distributed energy resources
- Help customers explore solar by comparing multiple quotes from pre-screened solar installation companies
- Strengthen their relationship with customers, increasing satisfaction and loyalty
- Offer branded or co-branded online tools
- Present customers with an approved set of new product options, including their own offerings
- Gain insights into market activity through unique datasets and analytics
- Capture a share of distributed energy activity in their market, and generate new revenue as a result
The full Deloitte report can be downloaded here.
About EnergySage
EnergySage runs the largest vendor-neutral online solar marketplace. Developed in 2012 with funding from the US Department of Energy, EnergySage is dedicated to information, transparency and choice. Our suite of online tools and resources help consumers research and shop for solar.
Our rooftop solar marketplace presents property owners with multiple solar quotes from pre-screened installers in a unique apples-to-apples format, and provides live support from expert Solar Advisors. The Community Solar Marketplace provides community solar FAQs and connects customers with projects in their area.
In addition to making these tools publicly available, EnergySage also provides solar solutions for utilities – such as National Grid and NYSEG, as well as state agencies like The Connecticut Green Bank and other organizations – looking to aid their audience in getting started with solar.
Want to learn more about how EnergySage helps utilities?
Contact the author:
Tess O'Brien
VP, Strategic Partnerships
tess@energysage.com
617.934.1048
Want more details about how EnergySage helps utilities of the future?
EnergySage is the partner of choice for utilities. View our utility overview PDF for more detail about how EnergySage works with utilities.
