Europe’s journey towards a decarbonised and electric future will hinge upon the choices of millions of households. Through their daily consumption, European electricity customers fund the entire electricity value chain, from infrastructure and innovation to grid resilience and clean generation. Their needs, behaviours and expectations will shape the future of the energy transition.
Europe’s power suppliers – representing more than 300 million households and businesses – are taking a proactive approach to empower residential customers in the energy transition.
Building on previous work and lessons from recent crises – such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s full invasion of Ukraine, and the gas price shock – we are proud to present 5 commitments to support residential customers in their day-to-day energy decisions. Our commitments are supported by over 40 case studies that show how suppliers are helping customers manage their electric bills, yield energy and financial savings through customer solutions, increase consumer choice, and build awareness to participate, in a truly inclusive transition.
Eurelectric-Accenture survey: insights from 2,000+ European households
To assess how recent crises and the evolving energy landscape are shaping customers’ behaviors as well as suppliers’ strategies, Eurelectric and global consultancy Accenture conducted a comprehensive study throughout 2024. The research surveyed over 2500 customers across 12 EU countries, engaged more than 70 suppliers and consulted with 60+ stakeholders including regulators, utilities, system operators, and consumers associations – to explore how these changes are impacting both customers and the efforts from their suppliers to empower them throughout the energy transition.
This is what emerged:
Read the Eurelectric – Accenture joint survey
1. The energy crisis triggered short-term savings—but not deeper behavioural change.
- Most households’ actions currently focus on short-term savings: 80% of customers report cutting power use or switching tariff rates, but only 23% have adopted electrified solutions.
- Adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) has increased 2.5x since 2021, but with only 5% of consumers owning an EV today, current progress is still far from what’s needed to meet the 2040 climate goals.
- Solar panel use doubled, reaching 18% and signalling growing interest in renewable self-generation.
- However, 82% of households still rely on gas heating, and 77% are unlikely to buy an EV in the next year, underscoring inertia in high-impact sectors.
- 81% of consumers consistently express concern about their impact on the planet, yet their actions tend to focus on simple, cost-effective measures that do not entail direct electrification and have a more limited impact.
“The energy crisis drove short-term savings, but not sufficient long-term changes. To accelerate electrification, we must make sure that all consumers feel supported by lowering upfront costs and increasing simplicity.”
2. Affordability and awareness are the primary barriers for residential consumers to engage.
More than half of consumers are not aware of their energy suppliers’ offerings. Moreover, even when consumers are aware of such clean energy solutions, they often hesitate to adopt them – mainly due to cost, installation constraints and satisfaction with current systems. On the supply side, administrative complexity and a lack of incentives limit rollout.
- 60% of households remain unaware of utility programs like dynamic tariff rates, bill-reducing tools or financing options.
- For new products and services (particularly those using direct electrification), upfront costs of capital remain a key blocker.
- 82% of people surveyed do not use electric heating and cite upfront payments as the primary hurdle and 77% say they are unlikely to adopt an EV in the next 12 months.
On the retailer’s side, 40% cite the impact of rising energy bills due to growing share of taxes and levies as a main barrier hampering their ability to deliver impact, followed by the lack of appropriate market structures to valorise demand-side flexibility / to leverage demand response programs (40%).
3. Consumer engagement is not a one-size-fits-all: a targeted engagement approach is needed to bring everyone on board.
- Different consumer groups have different motivations, needs and concerns. Addressing those requires tailored communication, support, and incentives to drive meaningful engagement in the energy transition.
- Clean energy adoption drops sharply with age: younger consumers feel more informed – and they are adopting clean energy at much higher rates, while older adults report lower awareness, less perceived choice and lower uptake.
- Older consumers continue to feel disconnected. Financial support, clear, personalised guidance on energy-saving measures and tailored service offerings measures would help.
Eurelectric’s 5 commitments to support residential customers
Residential customers are at the centre of the electric future – not just as energy users, but as decision-makers, investors, and drivers of change.
Eurelectric is therefore proud to present its five new commitments, forming a practical, scalable toolbox to help every residential customer navigate the transition with confidence, choice, and control. These commitments reflect our belief that only with customer trust, action, and engagement can we build a clean, affordable, and secure energy system for all.
At the heart of this, industry effort lies one essential enabler: a well-functioning, competitive retail market, allowing suppliers to innovate, offer various contract types, and tailor services to different customer profiles. It empowers people to choose the right plan for their needs – whether dynamic pricing, fixed-rate contracts, or time-of-use models – while supporting affordability and resilience in the electricity system.
“Clean energy growth is accelerating – but not fast enough. About 50% of emission reductions on the road to carbon neutrality will come from choices we all make, such as choosing an electric car, having a more efficient home or heating water with electric heat pumps. Together, we must act faster to build a sustainable future.”
1. Communication for consumer empowerment: We commit to smarter, targeted outreach.
40% of consumers know what their supplier offers – but 60% don’t. We’ll change that by:
- Delivering personalised alerts via customer account dashboards.
- Sharing success stories and step-by-step guides to demystify electrification and renewable solutions.
- Using clear, multilingual messages across platforms.
Policy Ask:
- Consider introducing national ‘energy spots’ offering tools and assistance programs for savings. These centres will provide tailored advice on reducing monthly bills, optimising rates to highlight price trends and peak hours, and accessing payment assistance programs for vulnerable households.
“One of the keys to broad adoption is awareness. Although most retailers now provide a great variety of products and services, residential customers awareness remains low. However, once informed, up to half of them adopt these solutions, with satisfaction levels reaching 90%. This gap points to a clear engagement opportunity.”
2. Engagement & inclusion for all: We commit to leaving no one behind.
We’ll:
- Partner with NGOs and housing providers to expand payment assistance and services for vulnerable groups, including renters and low-income households.
- Highlight long-term savings from clean tech: Heat pumps cut heating costs by 30-50%, while solar ROI averages 7-10 years in sunny regions.
- Collaborate with commercial partners to expand financing options for renters and low-income households, ensuring water-efficient heat pumps and solar installations are prioritised in multi-unit housing.
Policy asks:
- Introduce tax rebates for EVs, heat pumps and solar installation, as electricity remains 1.4x more taxed than gas, distorting price signals and discouraging electrification.
- Strengthen social policies and create national energy poverty observatories.
“To achieve Europe’s green transition, we must ensure no one is left behind. Supporting consumers with clear, transparent information; enabling savings through energy efficiency and digital solutions; and encouraging participation in demand flexibility are essential to easing cost pressures and securing broad engagement as we move toward a cleaner, smarter energy system.”
3. Energy efficiency measures: we commit to provide products and services that allow customers to optimise their consumption.
We’ll:
- Provide account-linked dashboards for customers to view real-time consumption data, empowering them to track savings and adjust usage during peak time windows.
- Provide tools and advice to optimise consumption, leveraging smart meter data and share personalised energy-saving tips.
Policy asks:
- Governments to find ways to derisk investments into energy efficiency measures and offer fund free or low-cost energy audits. These audits will highlight opportunities to reduce water and energy waste, such as upgrading HVAC systems or adopting smart meters.
- Offer renovation grants and appliance subsidies.
- Support social housing upgrades and self-consumption models.
4. User-friendly products & services: We commit to simplifying and automating digital tools.
We’ll:
- Support intuitive residential customer-friendly apps and account management platforms that automate demand response during peak hours, simplify bill management and reward off-peak usage- ensuring seamless service without manual input.
- Offer “opt-out flexibility” for automation tools, balancing convenience with consumer control.
- Expand smart meter access and ensure interoperability across devices and markets.
Policy Asks:
- Set national standards for smart device interoperability. This ensures seamless integration of time-based rate tools and consumption tracking across apps, simplifying bill management.
- Support independent product and contract comparison tools.
- Keep innovation space open with stable, market-driven regulation.
5. Unlocking demand flexibility: We commit to helping residential consumers towards more flexible power consumption.
We’ll:
- Promote time-of-use tariffs and hybrid contracts, which can cut bills by 15-20% for flexible users.
- Offer gamified rewards and automated tools.
- Educate residential customers on peak pricing and smart scheduling via interactive webinars and community workshops.
Policy asks:
- Accelerate smart meter rollout to 95% EU coverage by 2027, prioritising regions with grid congestion and ensure device compatibility. These demand response devices will empower customers to monitor hourly rates and shift usage to off-peak hours, lowering bills while supporting grid stability and prices.
- Enforce Article 5 of the EU Electricity Directive to empower demand response and phase out fossil-fuel subsidies.
- Enable secure, user-consented data sharing across actors.
A wealth of case studies from Europe’s retailers: turning commitments into concrete action
Across Europe, electricity suppliers are delivering practical solutions to help residential customers participate in the energy transition, manage their bills, improve energy efficiency, and embrace the benefits of clean power. These efforts include smart tools, educating customers about their choices, and offering tailored services that support shifting consumption away from peak hours and encourage participation in demand response programs.
With innovative offerings such as time-of-use rates, usage insights, and digital apps, customers gain more control over their daily consumption. Many solutions come with loyalty incentives that pay users for energy-smart choices, and referral rewards that support wider adoption of clean technologies. Whether helping a homeowner join a solar community, or enabling a small business to monitor consumption in real-time, each initiative is part of a broader program to drive affordability, resilience, and sustainability.
Besides our case studies from across Europe, we have also collected a number of stories on retailers and residential customers. These real-life examples show how suppliers are turning commitments into action – helping consumers save, make informed decisions, and thrive in a rapidly evolving energy system.