Open Energy and the Rise of Customer-Centric Utilities

What is Open Energy?

Open Energy is the application of the CDR framework to the energy sector. It allows customers to securely share their energy usage, billing, and product data with accredited third parties. Just as open banking transformed the way Australians engage with financial products, open energy is set to rewire how we interact with electricity and gas providers.

At its core, open energy gives consumers more control. It makes switching easier, comparisons sharper, and personalisation possible. Energy retailers, meanwhile, must reimagine their role: no longer just suppliers of kilowatt hours, but trusted partners in helping customers manage and optimise their energy lives.

Why Now?

The CDR in energy has been live since 2022, with obligations phased in across initial and larger retailers. By May 2024, most large retailers were required to respond to consumer data requests, including complex cases such as joint accounts or nominated representatives. Smaller retailers can choose to participate voluntarily, but once they opt in, there’s no going back.

This timeline means that in 2025, customer expectations are shifting quickly. The regulatory groundwork is done - the competitive battleground is experience.

How Open Energy Changes the Customer Relationship

1. From Reactive to Proactive Service

Instead of waiting for customers to query a confusing bill, retailers can use CDR data to provide real-time insights into usage patterns, suggest better plans, or notify households when they’re trending above average consumption.

2. Simpler Switching and Stronger Retention

With standardised, machine-readable data, switching providers is no longer a bureaucratic headache. That creates risk but also opportunity. Retailers that deliver a seamless onboarding experience and personalised recommendations will turn switching friction into a loyalty driver.

3. Empowering Green Choices

As more consumers install solar panels, batteries, or EV chargers, open energy can help them track performance across devices and optimise their energy mix. Retailers that surface these insights can become trusted sustainability partners, not just bill issuers.

4. New Business Models

CDR data opens doors to partnerships with fintechs, proptechs, and energy-tech start-ups. Imagine utilities offering energy-as-a-service bundles that include smart home integrations, carbon tracking, or automated plan switching.

The Opportunity and the Risk

Open energy levels the playing field. Large incumbents no longer have an information advantage over smaller retailers or innovative entrants. But compliance alone won’t be enough. Retailers that treat CDR as a box-ticking exercise will risk being seen as commodity providers in a market where customers expect more.

Those that lean into open energy, however, can create experiences that make them indispensable: dashboards that help customers understand their energy spend, APIs that connect with household devices, or personalised tariffs built around lifestyle rather than averages.

How Fiskil Helps

At Fiskil, we make it easier for energy retailers to participate in the CDR ecosystem without being distracted from their core mission: serving customers. Our Energy API enables secure, real-time sharing of customer and product data, while our managed Data Provider platform keeps you compliant with evolving standards.

Open energy is redefining what it means to be a utility in a customer-first world. With Fiskil, you can move beyond the minimum and deliver experiences that keep customers engaged, loyal, and empowered.