Stakeholder Analysis and Questionnaire Showing the Way for the Development of Business and Service Models

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the stakeholder analysis and questionnaire survey performed for energy business and service related actors. The stakeholder analysis describes the main stakeholders and roles in energy business. The questionnaire survey was done for main stakeholders, e.g. end users and service providers. The main research questions were to identify market needs and existing and new business models in area of district level energy services. The questionnaire study was finding out, what kind of new services are needed by the end users now and in the future, what kind of services are expected from service providers, what kind of services are offered by service providers and what kind of new services they are willing to offer in the future. These results will be used as basis for development of new business and services.The respondents are willing to have smart energy meters and adjust energy consumption according to the data shown by the smart meters, but the system should be paid back by savings in less than 5 years. It is important that the energy is produced in ‘green’ way by renewables, but the extra costs of energy should be less than 10%.The respondents evaluated that the biggest barriers in implementing smart energy districts in Europe are reluctance of the present players in energy business to change conventional business models and lack of experience and knowledge of smart systems. The solutions to these barriers are regulations encouraging investments and new financing models. It is assumed that smart grids are contributing to maximise energy efficiency and reducing environmental impact of energy usage because they can integrate multiple energy sources. The service providers would like to sell energy efficiency services controlling services for the energy consumption and costs; and bundled energy services.