PowerUp: Consumer Voices in the Energy Transition is a research project collaboratively designed by Energy Consumers Australia (ECA) and The Insight Centre. The research aims to understand consumer needs, values and expectations of Consumer Energy Resources (CER) integration and the wider energy transition, and to elevate consumer voices in how CER evolves.

The key outcomes of PowerUp are to:

• Give consumers influence, which includes elevating their voices to influence how CER evolves within the broader energy environment.
• Drive structural change by providing persuasive evidence to government, market bodies, retailers, networks and installers on consumer values, expectations and needs to ensure the energy system, products and services transition with people front and centre.
• Build and share knowledge, which includes identifying knowledge gaps and pursuing new lines of questioning, building on existing research and identifying areas for future research.

This report synthesises key insights from consumer voices from a survey, three-day discussion forums and in-depth interviews. The findings cover how consumers engaged with us on:

• Trade-offs they may be asked to make in the future, including third party control, adjusting their energy use patterns, and coping with planned disruptions;
• What CER means for them and their homes, and their role in the system;
• How and when they currently think and talk about the future of energy, and what concerns they have about the information they are receiving;
• What they value and what they expect from decision-makers.