I am delighted to take this opportunity to reflect on the last year and introduce myself, having taken up the role of Chair in February 2025. As we move into a new five-year mandate period , I am honoured to be chairing such a vital part of the International Energy Agency’s Technology Collaboration Programme. We know that the technologies exist to drive the energy transitions the world needs. To accelerate their acceptance, uptake and use across all end-users, the work of the Users TCP provides a vital interdisciplinary service to policy makers, drawing on evidence from our members and beyond. 

First, to reflect on the last year, I would like to thank our outgoing Chair, David Shipworth, for his tremendous service to the TCP. David began chairing the TCP in 2018 at a time when it was struggling to forge a coherent work programme. Under his leadership, the TCP rebranded as User-Centred Energy Systems and developed a vibrant work programme. I know I write on behalf of all our members in recognising the dynamism, integrity and intellectual rigour he brought to the role. We wish David well in his future endeavours and hope to continue working on future projects with him and his team at University College London (UCL). I would also like to thank our Secretariat, Sam Thomas and Vikki Searancke, who provided such strong support during the last mandate period. Following a competitive process, they were selected to remain as Secretariat for our TCP and we will benefit from their knowledge and dedication moving forward.

As I step into the role of Chair, I am struck by the incredible diversity of research taken forward through the Users TCP. Last year saw the conclusion of excellent work on public engagement, the social license to automate and campaigns. My team at Natural Resources Canada benefited greatly from the CampaignXchange and appreciated the policy-focused collaboration with the IEA Secretariat in coordinating the Task. I hope to see us continue pooling the resources and convening power of the IEA and our TCP to deliver the policy advice needed by our members. I encourage you to explore the CampaignXchange case study library on energy saving campaigns.

The Public Engagement for Energy Infrastructure Task focused on the key issue of gaining the public’s permission for the growth of wind, solar and high voltage transmission infrastructure. The Engage4Energy interactive tool is a great way of exploring the guidance developed during the Task. This is a good example of the type of policy-focused work that I am keen to encourage. Policy recommendations, along with examples of best practices help to support policy development in our member countries. For the second phase of public engagement work, I am excited to see that our members are considering a range of energy sources, including hydrogen, advanced nuclear and carbon capture, use and storage technologies, all of which have a role to play in energy transitions. 

The Social License to Automate 2.0 Task investigated the social dimensions of user engagement with automated technologies to understand how end-user trust is built and maintained. The work highlighted the importance of community engagement, fairness and inclusivity. A third phase of the work is under development and should kick off later this year. Last year also saw our Global Observatory on peer-to-peer energy trading launch a comprehensive case-study repository and our Empowering All Task move towards its conclusion with a policy brief. The next phase is planned to be launched when the TCP meets in Stockholm in June 2025. These tasks are great examples of the collaborative work carried out by universities and research institutes under the auspices of the TCP. A key role for our Executive Committee is to ensure that we incorporate research findings into our policy development. 

Effective policy implementation is essential as we progress energy transitions with pace. In that context, I am pleased that the Users TCP is increasing its action research, through the Hard-to-Reach Energy Users Task and the Behavioural Insights Platform. These Tasks take a hands-on approach to implementation, with the Hard-to-Reach Task bringing together communities and policy implementation agencies in a series of workshops. The Behavioural Insights Platform is undertaking randomised control trials with utilities and regulators to identify the best ways of engaging end-users in flexibility provision. I am eager to build upon these efforts during our next mandate period.

I am very happy to see the Users TCP expand our reach through collaborations with other TCPs. David’s intellectual leadership of the IEA TCP Flexibility Coordination Group last year helped to put the user dimensions firmly in the centre of that work and I look forward to the results of our new project with the 4E TCP on the flexibility potential of end-use devices. Our work with the OECD and IEA on the Environmental Policy and Individual Behaviour Change (EPIC) household behaviours survey also bore fruit last year with the publication of a working paper on household energy choices. Our partnership with the voluntary group of European Energy Agencies (EnR) developed with a joint event on behaviour change in Portugal. I look forward to continuing our cooperation in the organisation of the BEHAVE conference in Paris in December 2025. I see further opportunities for international collaboration, drawing on my own experience, representing Canada on the steering committee of the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM). These international initiatives have successfully contributed to advancing inclusion and diversity in energy transitions. 

As I step into the Users TCP chair, I aim to work with members to build on our past successes, advancing initiatives that align with our collective goals and expanding our reach. As we enter an evolving energy landscape with shifting societal priorities, the work of the Users TCP is vital for addressing energy transition challenges, ensuring energy equity, leveraging technological advancements and creating resilient and sustainable energy futures.