Powering Change: Consumers International Backs One-Stop Energy Solutions Across Three Continents
As part of our commitment to empowering consumers in the transition to clean energy, we are delighted to announce that three of our Members in emerging economies have been awarded funding to implement ‘one-stop-shops’ for renewable energy.
Through this innovation, Members in Thailand, Colombia and Chile will help people to be active agents of change and to understand all the benefits, options and incentives of renewable energy. They will drive consumer cost savings and progress towards sustainability goals.
The grants are made available by our partners: Integrate to Zero
What is a One-Stop-Shop?
As consumers we all have a vital role to play in driving the energy transition, yet we often face significant barriers to participation – what are the steps to heat pump installation or solar panels? How can we afford the upfront costs of that?
One-stop-shops are a powerful solution: an integrated, user-friendly hub that provides consumers with clear guidance, practical resources, and connections to trusted local providers of renewable energy technologies, financing options, and installation support.
They remove barriers and simplify the consumer journey in distributed renewable energy resources (DER). They build with and for consumers to generate, use, store, and share their own energy efficiently. The result? A triple win: greener energy, lower costs, and accelerated progress towards a more sustainable future.
Deep dive into our Member solutions
In 2024, our comprehensive guide on ‘Designing a One-Stop-Shop for Consumer Renewable Energy Systems,’ identified 113 solutions worldwide that can accelerate consumer adoption of renewable energy. This latest initiative puts the solutions into practice.
Educar Consumidores launched its Energía Consciente platform today to promote solar energy use in Colombia. The platform tackles myths and answers common questions, such as: Is renewable energy too expensive? Is solar power only suitable for developed countries? Is the technology out of reach for most people? Can solar panels really meet all of a home’s energy needs? Using multi-media tools, the platform breaks down complex information into accessible formats. Consumers can explore verified resources, discover endorsed solar providers, learn about financing options, and even join training events for practical help in the transition to clean energy.
Thailand Consumers Council launched its one-stop shop this World Consumer Rights Day, providing people in Thailand with a central hub to support their shift to renewable energy. At the heart of the platform is a collective solar energy “Light Hungry Gang” campaign, which helps consumers band together to access solar energy technology at more affordable prices. Trusted information, a cost calculator, and practical tools are some of the ways this will promote solar adoption among households and small businesses across the country.
ODECU in Chile is preparing for its rollout in May 2025. This will provide Chilean consumers with essential tools to integrate renewable energy into their daily lives, and driving community engagement events to reach those facing the most limited access to energy.
They are following the example recently set by another Consumers International Member, CADEF in Nigeria, who launched a one-stop-shop platform in late 2024. The lessons learned from these projects will contribute to our ongoing efforts to enhance consumer participation in the renewable energy movement.
Find out more
To learn more about our work on renewable energy and one-stop-shops, visit here.