Innovative solutions to tackle climate change have already begun, with low carbon alternatives for heating such as heat pumps and fully electric cars becoming more common.

Decarbonisation of the energy system will change the way that consumers use and buy energy. But the exact technologies and services that consumers use to consume and buy energy in a smart, low carbon energy future will be different to those currently used.

Therefore, the principles and processes needed to ensure fair treatment of consumers – the protections – will be different to those currently used. This is part of ensuring that the energy system works for all consumers, including those in vulnerable circumstances.

The Solution

If you want to ensure that your innovation is inclusive for all it is essential that you understand the consumer risks and integrate consumer protection into design of its service, delivery or implementation as soon as possible.

If you understand the risks your innovation may pose to consumers, you are able to address these risks before problems develop or become unmanageable.

On behalf of the Energy Revolution integration Service, we have put together an interactive manual to provide energy innovators with clear, structured techniques to help consider consumer protection, whether you are designing a new innovation or already have the technology and service available. Understanding consumer risks is vital to success and can be integrated no matter how far along your innovation may be.

The Smarter Consumer Protection Manual can help you to:

• Identify the positive impacts you want to have on consumers
• Understand how positive impacts are translated to consumers
• Identify your consumer risks by answering our key questions
• Determine which risks you can take action on
• Understand and plan how to address your key risks

By following the manual, you can trust that you have taken the right step towards protecting your customers and can continue to build on your proposition with confidence.

Who should use the manual?

The manual is intended to help people designing and delivering smart energy innovation in the UK, including energy innovators, policy makers, SME’s, local authorities. It is useful whether you are at the start of developing your first prototype or if it has already entered the domestic market.

The best part about the manual is that you don’t have to be an expert in energy, your consumers or design thinking to use it.

We are more than happy to help you incorporate consumer protection into your designs by facilitating any or all of the steps in the manual. Whether you want an introduction to consumer protection or a support understanding the needs of your target consumers, we’d love to hear from you.