Will consumers really be in the drivers seat of the energy transition? Annette Jantzen on Net Zero

What do electricity consumers really want? In this episode, Annette Jantzen, Secretary General at the National Energy Ombudsmen Network, shares her thoughts with Joana Freitas, Ambassador for the Lights on Women initiative of the FSR, on the main needs and concerns of electricity consumers, in the changing context of the energy transition. According to Annette Jantzen, one of the key issues arising from the energy transition is the high effort that the most vulnerable consumers have to make – “The households which are making the biggest effort to fund the energy transition today are the poorest ones”. At European level, the Clean Energy Package (CEP) is the first legislative package that mentions citizens in its name – Clean Energy for all Europeans. Annette Jantzen describes the CEP as very positive when it comes to consumer rights and protections, however, also notes that there is still a long way to go in terms of putting in place all the rights established in the document. “[The lack of strong legal provisions] could create issues and maybe a loss of trust, or hinder people from actually participating in the market”, she adds. Annette Jantzen also comments on the resistance to smart meters in some European countries – “People don’t really see why they should have a smart meter. They would be less worried once they see they would get benefit out of it”. In the end of the day, what electricity consumers really want is “a reliable service at an affordable price”. Subscribe to our newsletter for updates on new episodes and more! http://bit.ly/2Sk4diT