The future website for comparison of electricity prices

Denmark | January 2013 - March 2013

A good website for electricity price comparison can be one of several instruments to encourage a more efficient retail market. It will give the interested consumer the possibility to make a choice between type of product, price, environmental conditions and supplier based on knowledge.

Regulation of electricity supply

The Energy Agreement of March 2012 stipulated that the regulation in the Danish sector of electricity supply needed a thorough overhaul. In response, the Government set up a committee of electricity regulation (“Reguleringsudvalget”) with the participation of stakeholders and a number of experts to carry out the inspection.

The committee investigated whether the competition and the market structure at the retail market were satisfactory, and whether the consumers’ access to electricity at competitive prices were guaranteed. The committee also examined the protection of the consumer and the ability to act at the liberalised market. The work was completed in 2014.

Price comparison site for electricity

Ea Energy Analyses conducted an analysis for the committee, which included current changes of the electricity market relevant to the design of the price comparison site.

The analysis contained a review of a number of possible improvements that could be incorporated in the new site, as well as a review of the possibilities for the organisation and operation of the price comparison site.

The analysis was based on interviews in groups of consumers, interviews of Danish and foreign actors, a study of foreign price comparison sites, and testing of simple strategies of buying. The analysis was conducted from the consumers’ point of view.

The objective was to create a foundation for the committee to provide recommendations for the design and organisation of the future website for comparison of electricity prices.