Consumer Grid Summit 2026

Shared visions and actions for Australia’s future grid 

More than 40 current and emerging leaders from across Australia’s energy sector gathered in Sydney on 24-25 June to answer a critical question: 

How can we make the most of the current window of opportunity to shape a future grid that delivers for all consumers? 

The inaugural Consumer Grid Summit was diverse by design, drawing together participants from government, regulatory bodies, energy networks, retailers, technology providers, consumer advocacy organisations, research institutions and industry.  

This included the Commonwealth DCCEEW, AEMC, Australian Energy Market Operator AEMO, AER, ARENA, EEC, Ausgrid, Essential Energy, Endeavour Energy, Western Power, AGL, Tesla, Energy Consumers Australia, CSIRO, UTS Institute for Sustainable Future and more. 

The summit was designed to go beyond the usual speeches and panel discussions. Participants were challenged to work directly with one another to explore the future of Australia’s electricity system and the practical steps required to shape it. 

Together, they worked through a structured systems thinking and foresighting process to develop shared visions for Australia’s electricity system in 2040, and identify the practical steps required to get there. 

This work will inform a forthcoming Consumer Grid Summit Report, offering a whole-of-sector perspective on the challenges, opportunities and actions needed to navigate the next phase of Australia’s energy transition.

How we got here 

The Summit is the product of a broader body of work undertaken by RACE for 2030 across 2025 and 2026, including: 

• targeted research and expert discussion papers 
• interviews with senior sector leaders 
• five Grid Transformation Masterclasses involving more than 100 current and emerging leaders from across the sector 
• ongoing engagement with consumer, industry, regulatory and government stakeholders.

Throughout this process, a consistent theme emerged: while many of the technologies and capabilities needed for transformation already exist, achieving better outcomes for consumers will require greater coordination, stronger alignment and a clearer shared direction. 

The Consumer Grid Summit was created to bring those conversations together.

The Summit process 

Participants worked through the internationally recognised Three Horizons Framework, facilitated by UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures’ Professor Chris Riedy, Energy Catalyst’s Mark Paterson and RACE for 2030 CEO Dr Bill Lilley. 

Horizon 1: Understanding today’s system 

The first step involved examining the current electricity system to identify what is still working, and where change is overdue across the technologies, institutions, market structures and social factors shaping today’s energy landscape. 

Horizon 3: Imagining the future 

From there participants pushed forward to 2040, developing visions for a thriving, consumer-focused energy system. 

What emerged was a set of shared, alongside productive tensions that reflect the complexity of transforming a system that touches every part of society. 

Horizon 2: Building the pathway 

The second day turned to the harder questions: how do we get there? 

Using backcasting techniques, participants worked backwards from their future visions to identify: 

• Priority actions 
• Key enablers 
• Investment needs
• Policy and regulatory considerations 
• Critical decision points 

This stage challenged participants to move beyond aspiration and confront the practical realities of delivering change. 

What happens next? 

RACE for 2030 is now synthesising the insights, visions and pathways generated throughout the Summit process into a comprehensive final report. 

The report will: 

• capture the shared visions developed for Australia’s future grid 
• identify priority actions and transition pathways 
• highlight areas of alignment and ongoing debate 
• provide a practical reference point for decision-makers across the sector.

The report will be released later this year.  

Subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on LinkedIn to stay updated on our progress.