Aotearoa New Zealand stands at a crossroads. Do we start with the power system’s needs and try to adapt people to fit? Or do we start with people’s lives and design systems that enhance them?
Initiatives like FlexTalk and Streamlining Connections are already laying the groundwork for this shift — showing how flexibility can work for people, not just the power system. But more action is needed, and not just in pockets.
This isn’t a theoretical debate. It’s the defining choice for our energy future and that choice extends beyond industry to policymakers and regulators.
The promise and the problem
New Zealand was and still is a world leader in renewable generation. But when it comes to distributed energy resources and demand flexibility, we’ve fallen behind. What should be integral to an affordable, reliable electricity system remains esoteric—something talked about in conference rooms, not experienced in homes.
The recent EEA2025 conference brought this into sharp focus. Across the world, flexibility is reshaping energy systems and our international keynote speakers, Dr. Thomas Ackermann and Lynne Gallagher, shared both insights and sound advice. Germany’s mass uptake of balcony solar. Australia’s rooftop revolution. Early adopters are transforming their power systems in real time.
Their message was clear: we can learn from both their successes and mistakes. But only if we act with intention.
Flexibility is not optional
Lynne Gallagher’s words cut through: flexibility is a lifeline, not a luxury. It’s not an add-on to our electricity system. It’s foundational. Essential. Urgent.
Thomas Ackermann reminded us there’s no crystal ball for the energy future. His examples of failed predictions reinforced a critical point: we must prepare for large-scale innovation uptake, even when we can’t predict exactly how it will unfold.
Unlike Australia, we have time to get the foundations right. But that window is closing.
From theory to trust
Below the surface of “too little, too late” criticism, practical work is already underway. FlexTalk and other demand flexibility pilots aren’t just testing technical protocols—they’re translating concepts into tangible benefits. They’re introducing wider populations to what a flexible future looks like.
These testbeds are crucial. They breathe life into theory, play out scenarios, and set us up for success. More importantly, they’re building something essential: trust.
As Lynne put it, we need willing participants, not conscripts.
Flexibility only works if people want to participate. That means designing systems that fit into people’s lives, not demanding lives that fit into systems.
The choice before us
New Zealand’s electricity industry is passionate about a more dynamic system where citizens have real agency over their power use. Where demand flexibility makes a tangible difference to households and the country.
But passion isn’t enough. We need to decide our starting point.
The personal, local, digital energy landscape demands a consumer-centric approach. As industry leaders serving communities, we must use our experience, expertise, and relationships differently—not to manage consumers, but to empower them as flexibility’s most dynamic force.
The question isn’t whether flexibility matters. It’s whether we have the courage to put people first and redesign our systems around them.
What will we choose?
