The power industry is undergoing a
structural transformation. Electricity demand is increasing, renewable
generation is expanding rapidly, grids are becoming more digital, and
technologies such as battery storage, artificial intelligence, and distributed
energy resources are changing how electricity is produced, managed, and
consumed.
The scale of this transformation
creates a challenge for companies conducting market research. Public reports,
government statistics, financial filings and industry databases can provide
valuable quantitative information, but they may not answer highly specific
questions about how a market actually operates. The need for this type of
research is growing as the electricity sector expands. The International Energy
Agency (IEA) estimates that global electricity consumption increased by 4.3% in
2024, compared with 2.5% in 2023, with demand growth expected to remain strong
through 2027.
This is where an expert network for
power industry research can add another layer of insight. By connecting
organizations with professionals who have direct experience in areas such as
power generation, transmission, distribution, renewable energy, energy storage,
and utility operations, expert networks can help companies investigate
questions that are difficult to answer through secondary research alone.
Why Companies Are Turning to Expert
Networks for Power Research
Accessing Knowledge Beyond Public
Data
Power markets generate enormous
quantities of data, but data does not always explain the reasons behind market
developments. An increase in renewable installations, for instance, does not
necessarily explain why certain projects move forward while others experience
delays. For companies operating in this market, understanding the headline
growth figure is only the starting point. The more commercially relevant
questions can concern where the growth is occurring, which technologies are
driving it, what constraints developers are facing, and how utilities are
adapting.
The rapid expansion of renewable
energy illustrates why this context matters. According to IRENA, global
renewable power capacity reached approximately 5,149 GW at the end of 2025
after a record 692 GW was added during the year. Renewables represented 85.6%
of total global power-capacity additions in 2025. For companies operating in
this market, understanding the headline growth figure is only the starting
point. The more commercially relevant questions can concern where the growth is
occurring, which technologies are driving it, what constraints developers are
facing, and how utilities are adapting.
Validating Market Assumptions
Companies frequently conduct
research based on a specific hypothesis. An investor might believe that battery
storage adoption will accelerate in a particular electricity market. A
technology provider might believe that utilities are ready to adopt a new grid-management
solution. A manufacturer might want to understand whether demand for a
particular component is likely to increase.
Expert networks can be used to test
these assumptions against the experience of people working within the industry.
This does not mean that one expert's opinion should be treated as a definitive
representation of an entire market. Instead, expert consultations can provide
primary qualitative evidence that can be compared with market statistics,
company disclosures, regulatory information and other research.
How Companies Use Expert Networks
for Power Industry Research
Market Entry Research
Entering a new power market can
involve much more than estimating market size. Companies may need to understand
local regulations, procurement practices, competitive structures, customer
preferences, infrastructure constraints, and the roles of different market
participants.
An expert network can help a
company speak with professionals who understand the local market from an
operational or commercial perspective. For example, a company considering entry
into a regional electricity market could use expert interviews to understand
how utilities select vendors, how projects are typically developed, and what
barriers new market participants encounter.
Commercial Due Diligence
Expert networks are also used in
commercial due diligence. Investors evaluating an energy company,
infrastructure asset, or technology provider may need to assess market demand,
competitive dynamics, customer relationships, and industry growth prospects.
This type of research is
particularly important as capital flows into electricity infrastructure
increase. For example, an investor examining a grid equipment manufacturer
could speak with utility procurement professionals or engineering specialists
to understand purchasing priorities, vendor selection criteria, and potential
competitive pressures. The IEA estimates that global energy investment is set
to reach $3.3 trillion in 2025, including approximately $1.5 trillion in the
electricity sector. It also estimates that around $400 billion is currently
being invested in electricity grids each year, compared with about $1 trillion
in generation assets.
Technology Assessment
The power sector is experiencing
rapid technological change. Battery energy storage, smart grids, virtual power
plants, advanced nuclear technologies, digital twins, artificial intelligence,
and other technologies are moving through different stages of commercialization.
Companies evaluating these
technologies often need answers that go beyond technical specifications. They
may want to understand how the technology performs in real operating
environments, how customers perceive it, what implementation challenges exist,
and whether utilities are willing to invest in it.
Competitive Intelligence
Understanding competitors is
another important application. Companies in the power industry may want to
examine how competitors position their products, which customer segments they
target, how purchasing decisions are made, and what factors influence market
share.
Expert interviews can provide an
industry perspective on competitive dynamics without relying solely on company
marketing materials or publicly available corporate information.
Regulatory and Policy Research
Regulation plays a major role in
power markets. Changes to market design, environmental requirements,
renewable-energy incentives, grid rules, permitting frameworks, and other
policies can influence project economics and investment decisions.
Public regulatory documents remain
essential sources of information, but experts can help companies understand how
regulatory changes are being interpreted and implemented in practice.
The Future of Expert Networks in
Power Industry Research
As electricity markets become more
interconnected and technologically complex, the demand for specialized
knowledge is likely to remain important. The expansion of renewable generation,
storage, electrification, digital infrastructure and AI-related electricity
demand is creating new questions for investors, utilities, technology companies
and other market participants.
The research challenge is also
becoming more granular. Companies increasingly need to understand individual
technologies, specific markets, customer segments and operational issues rather
than relying only on broad industry forecasts.
This creates an opportunity for
expert networks to become an important component of modern power-sector
research. Their role is not to replace data or established research
methodologies, but to connect decision-makers with people who have firsthand
experience of the markets and technologies being studied.
Conclusion: Turning Industry
Expertise Into Actionable Research
The power industry is entering a
period of significant change. Electricity demand is rising, renewable capacity
is expanding, investment in power infrastructure is increasing, and
technologies across the electricity value chain are evolving rapidly. IRENA's
latest figures show that global renewable capacity additions reached a record
692 GW in 2025, while the IEA expects global energy investment to reach $3.3
trillion in the same year.
In this environment, companies need
more than market statistics to understand what is happening. They also need
insight into how markets operate, how customers make decisions, what challenges
companies face, and how technologies perform in real-world settings.
An expert network for power industry research can provide that additional layer of primary insight. By connecting companies with relevant industry professionals and combining their perspectives with reliable secondary research, expert networks can help organizations investigate complex questions across power generation, renewable energy, grids, storage, technology, regulation, and investment.