In March 2026, UKERC’s Rob Gross travelled to the Foresighting Forum 2026: Flick the Switch! conference, hosted by Energy Consumers Australia, to deliver a keynote address.
The Foresighting Forum brings together policymakers, regulators, industry leaders, researchers and consumer advocates to examine how everyday decisions about using, saving, generating and paying for energy will shape the country’s transition.
The 2026 programme focused on accelerating progress towards an energy system that is affordable, clean and reliable. Discussions were structured around three themes: maintaining consumer trust during cost-of-living pressures, responding to the implications of artificial intelligence and growing data centre demand, and ensuring that the experiences of all households and small businesses are reflected in policy and regulation.
Rob delivered his keynote in a session on maintaining the energy transition during a cost-of-living crisis. The session examined how to sustain momentum on decarbonisation while addressing pressures on energy bills for households and small businesses. He was joined by Clare Savage, Chair of the Australian Energy Regulator, in a subsequent panel discussion for a wide-ranging discussion, ranging from approaches to recovering fixed system costs from consumers with home generation to the factors driving higher energy bills.
During his visit, Rob also met with representatives from the Government of New South Wales, CSIRO, the Australian Energy Market Commission, RACE for 2030 and EnergyCo Australia.
Energy Consumers Australia, established in 2015 by the Council of Energy Ministers, is an independent, not-for-profit organisation advocating for the long-term interests of households and small businesses. Its work spans research, policy engagement, collaboration with advocacy organisations and consumer education, with a focus on agency, equity and representation in the energy transition.
UKERC’s participation in the Forum reflects its ongoing engagement with international partners on the policy and consumer dimensions of the energy transition.