Your Energy Customers are Your Users Now

I’ve spent my career building and leading product teams at startups in fintech and real estate, design agencies like Huge, and big companies like Instagram.

I’ve been privileged to work with some of the best UX designers in the world. I’ve never seen a design challenge as interesting as the one facing energy right now.

The energy sector is undergoing a wholesale redefinition. An industry that once served passive consumers now serves an active, engaged user base — one with rapidly rising expectations.

Energy companies that understand this shifting dynamic and alter their business and technology strategy to exploit it will unlock boundless opportunities. We founded Texture to help engender more companies like that.

#The energy system is changing, but so are the roles of everyone in it.

Three quiet revolutions are reshaping the industry:

#1. The expansion of consumer choice

Energy consumers are no longer passive participants in a centralized hub and spoke system. In just the last several years they have become empowered market participants who can choose from a dizzying array of energy products and services:

• Energy devices like EVs, batteries, or solar
• Programs like demand response, incentive schemes, and time of use rates
• Retail energy and community solar plans
• Novel financing schemes like battery leases or energy efficiency services

This is a profound shift. Energy consumers used to flip a switch and forget about it. Today they have significant agency, and with that comes both new business opportunities but also a dramatic increase in competition for their attention and their purchasing power.

#2. The digital transformation is at least as big as the hardware transformation

Much ink has been spilled about the dramatically shifting mix of hardware that comprises the energy system. From the deployment of DERs and smart meters to commercial EV charger networks and building automation, the change to our physical world is undisputed.

What gets way less attention is that this deployment is also installing hundreds of millions of computers, capturing bi-directional flows of data in near real-time that used to live in monthly meter readings. We will soon have a level of data fidelity and volume in energy not seen in either e-commerce or finance. With that will come opportunities for companies to provide much more reliable, tailored, and imaginative products.

#3. Choice + data will mean much higher expectations

Users of non-energy services know it’s easy for companies to track nearly everything they do when interacting with that company. This has created debates about privacy, but it has also raised user expectations that with great data comes great responsibility.

Imagine if you installed a ridesharing app that tracked your location in real-time, but the driver texted you saying they didn’t have access to it. You’d uninstall the app immediately. This is where we find ourselves in energy. Most companies have a lot of data but lack the tools or teams to leverage it. Users simply won’t tolerate malfunctioning batteries, inaccurate billing, or mysterious demand response actions — they’ll move on.

#The legacy of insular design

The modern grid was a monumental feat but wasn’t designed to serve tens of millions of active participants who both consume and produce energy in real-time. While the grid evolves, many tools still optimize for a legacy linear supply chain.

#1. Bridging priorities

Energy companies, device OEMs, and software providers have historically focused on technical functionality. Now, there’s an opportunity to expand that focus to user journeys, better supporting homeowners, installers, and utilities.

#2. The smart home’s broken promise

Companies tried building single-brand smart homes. Consumers rejected all-in-one ecosystems, choosing the best devices for their needs. That left a tangle of incompatible products. As the grid shifts toward networked systems, this fragmentation persists. A new approach — interoperability — is essential for the energy sector.

#3. Complexity that overwhelms

Managing energy can feel like learning a foreign language. Poor UX creates friction and distrust for homeowners, installers, and utilities. Disconnected systems with slow update cycles further inflate costs and reduce returns. Clear, well-designed tools are crucial for consumer trust and participation.

#Why fixing UX matters — the ROI of good design

Better UX isn’t just nice; it drives real business value:

• Utilities and regulators see improved program adoption and clearer visibility.
• Installers, OEMs, and REPs boost conversion, retention, and operational efficiency.
• The grid benefits from lower costs and more effective coordination.

Beyond metrics, great UX builds trust and loyalty. Other industries, like healthcare, have successfully digitized complex processes. Energy can too.

#What “user first” could look like

#For homeowners

A single intuitive app (or multiple competing apps) for managing batteries, EVs, and solar, showing savings, grid contributions, and resilience.

#For installers and OEMs

Tools that streamline workflows, reduce errors, and deliver real-time maintenance and service insights.

#For utilities and enterprises

Interconnected platforms for real-time coordination that benefit both users and the grid.

#For program operators and regulators

Digital systems that align incentives and track outcomes, delivering predictable load shifting and compliance.

It’s not just about more intuitive apps, but the entire user journey — physical and digital — that fosters engagement and lifetime value.

#How Texture powers better user experiences

At Texture, we believe the energy sector’s transformation requires more than just great tools — it demands a foundation that unites participants. Texture is the only cloud platform purpose-built for the energy sector’s digital age.

Our platform:

• Connects everyone to a single source of energy truth: Meter, device, and customer data in one place, integrated with your existing tools.
• We invest in our users so you can invest in yours: Built-in analytics, real-time device control, anomaly detection, and a mobile-friendly dashboard designed for enterprise use.
• Data controls and security are at our core: Created by veterans of finance, e-commerce, and social media who understand future-proof security and consumer privacy standards.

Energy is primed for a digital transformation that serves users, fosters trust, and boosts performance. Texture provides the tools to make it happen.

#The path forward

• Decision-makers must treat UX as a strategic investment, not a “nice-to-have.”
• Companies that adopt holistic design will see broad adoption and customer loyalty.
• The grid of the future will rely on empowered, active participants, requiring experiences that meet rising expectations.

The future grid is built around users. Let’s build the experiences they deserve — and a future they trust.

Nicholas Brown (nicholas@texturehq.com)

Ready to experience a platform with user experience at its core? Contact our team today and discover how Texture can transform your energy business.