Benchmarking customer priorities and trust in the energy sector

Chief Investigators

Prof. Rebekah Russell-Bennett  (QUT)

Purpose of project

The transition to clean energy will be highly influenced by customer preferences and behaviour. To ensure a smooth and effective transition, the energy industry needs to build trust and adopt a shared value mindset that involves a better collaboration with consumers and a greater understanding of customer priorities. This will increase customer engagement in renewable resources and programs. This project explored four key questions:

1. What are customers’ priorities for their energy system?
2. What are customers’ current trust levels in the energy system?
3. Who are the key actors in the energy system that play a key role in building trust?
4. Where are the leverage points in the energy system that can build trust (and reduce
distrust)?

According to the research, customer priorities are broader than the industry-based energy trilemma (affordability, sustainability and reliability) and include communication, hardship assistance, clarity in energy plans, and a long-term national vision that should be led by government, who they believe should take a more significant role in the sector.  However, both customers and industry are aligned in placing energy affordability as the top priority. 

The survey and customer workshops found the most trusted actors in the energy sector were electricians, the CSIRO and universities, with energy retailers amongst the least trusted actors.

A related research project, included in an appendix to the project, investigated priorities and trust in the electric vehicle space. In relation to trust elements, car retailers were seen as the most trusted agents in relation to providing information on EV charging at 34%, followed by electricity retailers, comparison websites and electricity networks. 

Impact of project

This project is important for developing successful policies and programs that contribute to reduced energy bills and lower carbon emissions. In the longer term, it is expected that there is an improved understanding of customer preferences in the energy system and greater trust in the energy sector. Changing consumer behaviours and better collaboration will allow a more fair and just energy transition.

The research proposes the customer energy trust bundle (CETB), offering an extension to the original energy trilemma by incorporating these key customer priorities. Communication is a key element of the CETB, and is important to establishing and maintaining customer trust, particularly when customers are required to take action (for example manage an outage or select an energy plan).

With electricians and providers of energy equipment, including EVs, key to the energy transition, understanding more about the role they play in engaging customers and building trust is vital.

If acted upon, in the long term, the outputs of this project will enhance consumer involvement in the energy transition and foster trust that will result to reduced energy hardship and improved energy productivity.

Project partners – industry and research

Queensland University of Technology (QUT) (Lead), Ausgrid, Brighte, Western Power