The ESB is currently seeking expressions of interest for the Stakeholder Steering Group (SSG) that will support Release Three of the Customer Insights Collaboration. See Release Three below for full details.
In developing reforms to integrate consumer energy resources (CER) and flexible demand, customer input is key to testing assumptions and understanding how customers might want to engage with different service providers or products. While the CER Implementation Plan will not be developing energy products or services, feedback from a customer perspective as to how they need or intend to use their customer-owned assets, is informing the development of standards to support effective switching and informing where risks or harms may emerge as new services emerge.
The Customer Insights Collaboration is organised around six-month blocks of work on key customer issues relevant to CER Implementation Plan reform activities, involving active engagement with stakeholders.
A stakeholder steering group (SSG) is established for each release, with a knowledge sharing report published at the end of each release.
Release one of the Customer Insights Collaboration took place between February-July 2022 focussing on exploring barriers and enablers to customer reward for flexible CER and energy use.
This release set an important foundation for the Customer Insights Collaboration, by working through the most pressing customer access, value, communications and trust issues associated with flexible CER and energy use, drawing on the latest insights from Australian and international trials and research.
Stakeholder Steering Group
- Janine Rayner, Head of Communications and Policy, Energy and Water Ombudsman (Victoria)
- Mindy Lim, NETCC Manager, Clean Energy Council
- Terry Daly, Director New Energy, Rheem Australia
- Chantelle Bramley, Executive General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Essential Energy
- Matthew Giampiccolo, Senior Regulatory Adviser, Simply Energy
- William Edmonds, Associate, Bloomberg New Energy Finance
- Wendy Miller, Senior Advisor, Energy, QCOSS
- Jordan Tasker, Director, Consumer Projects, Australian Energy Regulator
- Dr John Gardner, Consumers and Resource Use, CSIRO
Knowledge Sharing Report
The report should be read in conjunction with the rapid evidence review undertaken by ACIL Allen that was a key input for Release.
The insights gathered in Release One indicate that there are a set of strategic priorities to unlock the great potential of flexibility:
- Make flexibility inclusive to unlock opportunities for all consumers
- Create incentives and nudges that make flexibility easy and attractive for consumers
- Communicate about flexibility to engage and empower consumers
- Earn energy consumers' trust to engage with flexibility products and services.
Resources
Release two of the Customer Insights Collaboration took place between August-December 2022 and built on the work from Release One with a deeper dive into the customer insights and critical barriers, to apply them to the reform projects.
Stakeholder Steering Group
The ESB welcomes the strong interest received from stakeholders across the sector in joining the SSG for Release Two. The ESB is pleased to announce members for the second release:
- Joanne Pafumi, General Manager Corporate Affairs, CitiPower, Powercor and United Energy
- Penelope Crossley, Associate Professor, University of Sydney Law School
- Lance Hoch, Executive Director and Chairman, Oakley Greenwood Pty Ltd
- Matthew Dewhirst, A/Project Manager – Home Battery Scheme, Department for Energy and Mining, Government of South Australia
- Jo De Silva, Policy and Communications Lead, Energy & Water Ombudsman SA
- Rory Campbell, Manager Policy and Research, Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW
- Tim Ryan, Real Time Information and Transaction Specialist, Ready.Energy
- Jess Christianson, Head of Marketing and Communications, RACV
- Con Hristodoulidis, Senior Manager Policy & Regulatory Strategy (Customer Markets), AGL
- Grant Stepa, Independent Expert, CER Deployment
- Wendy Miller, Customer Strategist, Powerlink
- Jordan Tasker, Director, Consumer Projects, Australian Energy Regulator
- Dr John Gardner, Consumers and Resource Use, CSIRO
Resources
Release Three will take place between February-June 2023. The SSG will work with the ESB and the teams across the market bodies leading CER Implementation Plan reforms, building on insights from earlier releases, with a focus on enhancing customers’ experience with and value from charging their electric vehicles (EV).
Stakeholder Steering Group
The ESB is seeking expressions of interest for the Stakeholder Steering Group (SSG) that will support Release Three of the Customer Insights Collaboration.
This document provides key information about the Customer Insights Collaboration and the role of the SSG and details the application process.
Interested stakeholders are invited to submit an expression of interest to the ESB by email to info@esb.org.au by Tuesday 24 January. The ESB will assess applications and engage the SSG ahead of the first meeting of the Group in February 2023.
