Past Projects

The following sample of projects illustrates the breadth and variety of experience and expertise of VaasaETT (VaasaETT’s staff have been responsible for all the projects mentioned below).

Various Leading Events 2008
Co-hosted a leading international conference/exhibition together with Synergy Events, Smart Metering Scandinavia, a 200 attendee event. Other events in which we were or will be partners in 2008 include Metering America, Metering Design Congress, USA, and Metering Russia/Baltic States and more (yet to be announced)

Leading Dutch/German Utility 2007/2008
Provided advanced price elasticity and price margin analysis for the purpose of identifying market entry potentials in various European markets.

Cap Gemini 2007
Provided Demand Response benchmarking data and best practice case material to assist a major European Utility client in its Demand Response R&D programme.

Leading (Fortune 50) US Assurance/Insurance Company, 2007
VaasaETT managed a detailed service-development product feasibility study for a large blue chip player contemplating entering the US utilities market. The project involved identifying the market potential for the proposed product including marketing barriers and requirements for success, and potential partners within the US utilities industry. Particular attention was paid to researching and understanding the US utilities industry and the psychology of its customers. The project report, conducted to assist Corporate Business Development in their strategic decision-making, was ultimately reported to the CEO of the client organization. A variety of VaasaETT’s US-based partners cooperated to assist the client.

CapGemini, 2006 & 2007
Major collaboration partner in the development and writing of the CapGemini European Energy Markets Observatory (2006 & v2007), a global publication of Cap Gemini headquarters in Paris. Focus on competition, churn and pricing in European retail markets.

Leading Dutch Energy Retailer, 2006
Project director and report writer for a detailed strategic report written for a leading Dutch energy company. The report presented a balanced view on the likely costs and benefits associated with the scenario of large-scale AMR deployment within the Dutch electricity market, focusing essentially on the residential market. The report also considered the certainties, uncertainties and risks that are associated with the various (assumed) costs and benefits, and presented some solutions and scenarios that can be seen as alternatives to the AMR route. This report was used within the Dutch debate concerning the introduction of compulsory AMR in the Netherlands.

Finnish Energy Market Authority, 2006
Project director and report writer (Dr Philip E. Lewis) for a report that proposed a clear best practice definition and process for the purpose of customer switching data collection in Europe. This Universal Indicator of Customer Switching Activity was ultimately developed for ERGEG on behalf of the Finnish Energy market Authority.

Two leading European energy companies, 2005-2006
Primary consultant, assisting the clients (one Russian and one German) in their strategic market entry decisions and plans. Work involved providing full market analysis, partner identification and strategic advice (concerning positioning, products, pricing, communications, customer acquisition and low cost entry models).

Peace Software / First Data, 2004-2008
Director of research analysing global customer loyalty trends in the electricity and gas industry. Compiled the world’s most comprehensive analysis of switching trends in deregulated energy market. This is an ongoing project and trend data is updated on a quarterly basis, see: www.peace.com/customer-switching

ERGEG (European Regulators Group for Electricity & Gas), 2005
Project director and report writer in 3 major reports prepared for the European Regulators Group for Electricity and Gas. The reports benchmark, describe and analyze regulations and procedures relating to Customer Protection, Customer Switching and Price Transparency throughout Europe (23 countries). The reports were conducted based on responses to a questionnaire designed and completed by members of ERGEG. These reports provided a key basis of subsequent ERGEG best practice proposals.

Two Major Benelux Energy Retailers & One Finnish Energy Retailer 2004-2006
Supervisor in a project to identify and analyze the drivers and dynamics behind customer churn, by looking in detail at the experiences of customers who have switched away from their incumbent retailers.

Finnish Ministry of Trade Industry, 2006
Directed and conducted a major project (given to Finish parliament) to analyse and assess the impact of unbundling and other law changes on the prices, customer switching and competition in the liberalised Finish electricity and gas markets.

Finnish Ministry of Trade & Industry, 2003-2004
Directed and conducted a pan Nordic (Finland, Sweden, Norway) project to evaluate the behaviour of end-user electricity prices in relation to wholesale (NordPool) prices.

Leading International Substation Automation Manufacturer, 2004-2006 (Various related projects)
Director of a project that developed and implemented a global research system, including practical research tools for a key division of the client. Separate but related projects included an international branding research project, a national market evaluation research project, an international customer satisfaction survey and various other ad-hoc researches.

Shell International Petroleum Corporation, 2004
Assisted the corporation, as primary consultant, to enter one of the Nordic electricity markets. Work involved providing full market analysis, partner identification, strategic advice and detailed ‘market entry method’ consultation.

Electrabel, 2005
Directed a project to collect and analyse international competitor intelligence information.

Various subscribers, 2001 (customers included BP)
Lead an international research project, conducted in five countries (Germany, Holland, Finland, Sweden and the UK) to identify the potential for green electricity uptake by industrial and commercial customers. The project, which was funded by European & US electricity companies, involved extensive market research in each of the target countries. The report received a high level of international publicity and was the subject of a European WWF press release.

Various subscribers, 2000-2001 (customers included Nokia)
Designed and supervised a Finnish-Swedish market research project to evaluate the market potential for internet and mobile-based energy and banking services. The project was entirely funded by the energy, banking and mobile phone industries in Finland and Sweden.

Finnish Electricity Association (SENER), 2000-2001
Developed a Service Benchmarking system. The project involved extensive market research, the collection of international benchmark data, the development of clear industry-wide methods, and reporting to association members.

Shell Finland Oy, 2003
Directed a marketing research project to identify the potential for and barriers facing the uptake of oil heating services. The project involved extensive market research integrated with existing knowledge, and the development of clear marketing strategy suggestions.

Finnish Ministry of Trade & Industry, 2003-2004
Project Director and writer of a high profile market evaluation report which comprehensively analyzed the status and outcome of competition in the deregulated Finnish electricity market. The project involved extensive market research, industry wide interviews and thorough market analysis.

Finnish Ministry of Trade and Industry 2001-2002
Project director and co-writer for an evaluation report which evaluated the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s entire Linkki 2 energy efficiency behaviour research programme. The project involved an analysis of all projects conducted as part of the programme as well as interviews with those who had conducted the programme’s projects.