The Future Grid Homes project (2018-19) aims to identify best practice engagement strategies, concepts and relationship models to improve residential consumers’ trust, participation in demand management, and adoption of new energy technologies (e.g. solar PV and battery storage) intended to support affordability and reliability objectives for households. The project is concerned with engagement around the use of emerging energy technologies and participation in demand management in relation to the Future Grid.
The report identifies three key challenges which impact household interest and capacity to engage with electricity sector priorities for the Future Grid. They are:
- Distrust; and
- Disengagement from the energy market and Different Priorities.
These challenges are significant for consumer outcomes in relation to householder interest in ‘taking control’ of their energy supply and participating in the Future Grid in ways which help manage network costs and reliability.
The report also identifies four pathways to engage householders through the programs, activities and interests that already engage them, or that they would like to engage in:
- Sharing & Equity;
- Communication; and
- Leadership & Consultation.
The following summary and more detailed implications and conclusions will inform subsequent stages of this project.