Lighting the way for emerging energy preferences
Persistent climate change concerns, volatile energy prices and a growing awareness of technological advancement in energy are leading consumers across the globe to reconsider their role in the electric power value chain. Influenced by experiences in other industries, they are willing to assume new roles and be more involved with providers and technology.
At the same time, due to global demands for climate change mitigation, the need to support aging networks and generation plants, and government stimulus plans for weakened economies, substantial increases in investment in utility infrastructure are likely. For energy and utility companies, this presents a historic opportunity to encourage new, mutually beneficial behaviors and create business models to meet new consumer demands.
How emerging consumer preferences are met can open new avenues for consumer satisfaction, create new revenue streams, define new business models and accelerate technology deployment, lighting the way to a participatory utility network in which consumers, utilities and service providers successfully share responsibilities and benefits.
