Designing a Green Energy Marketplace for Consumers and Prosumers

01 · Challenge

A new energy model. An unproven market.

The energy market is changing — more people are producing their own renewable energy, and more consumers want to know where their electricity comes from. The question was whether a major energy provider could play a meaningful role in connecting local producers with local consumers through a peer-to-peer platform.

• Peer-to-peer energy required consumers to understand an entirely new type of value exchange
• Both sides of the market — producers (prosumers) and consumers — needed to see clear, distinct value
• Energy is low-engagement but high-importance: people want simplicity, reassurance and trust above all else
• The proposition had to work commercially, not just conceptually — creating business value alongside customer value
• The core question wasn't 'do people like this idea?' — it was 'would people actually act on it?'

02 · Approach

Research both sides. Test real behaviour. Model the commercial logic.

The work combined research, co-creation, proposition design, behavioural experiments and business modelling over two months — moving from emerging market opportunity to tested, commercially grounded proposition.

• Interviewed 15 people who used renewable energy or had expressed interest — understanding motivations, hesitations and mental models
• Ran three co-creation workshops across London, Manchester and Edinburgh to explore how people thought about buying, selling and participating in energy markets
• Designed Canopy — a peer-to-peer green energy marketplace proposition connecting local producers and consumers
• Created consumer and prosumer journeys making the proposition tangible for both sides of the market
• Ran behavioural experiments testing messages around independence, willingness to pay more, return on investment and community benefit
• Developed business model, market sizing and commercial forecast connecting customer value to business investment logic

Methods used

03 · Outcome

Canopy — a peer-to-peer energy marketplace with a commercial case.

The work produced a tested, evidence-backed proposition — not just a concept. Canopy gave the energy provider a clear story about what the platform would be, who it was for, why people would use it, and what it could deliver commercially.

• Canopy proposition validated across both consumer and prosumer audiences
• Consumer journey designed to feel simple, transparent and trustworthy — explaining local energy in a way people understood
• Prosumer journey showing how financial return, community contribution and visibility of impact combined to create value
• Behavioural signals showing which messages (independence, community, financial return) had strongest traction with each audience
• Business model forecast: up to £2.4M net value to the business and £4.6M total customer value by year three

04 · Impact

From innovation idea to investable platform proposition.

The work helped a major energy provider move from an emerging concept to a commercially grounded opportunity — with the evidence to support pilot development and future scaling decisions.

The strongest outcome wasn't the service concept. It was the connection between customer motivation, platform logic and commercial value — all in one investable story.