Customer Flexibility Intelligence for the Energy Transition

Build an AI-powered solution using Microsoft Fabric Apps and Azure AI Foundry that identifies, explains, and unlocks customer flexibility potential.

Challenge Owner EKZ

Postdate 17.07.2026

Energy

Grid Stability & Operations Policy & Tariffs

Data

Predictive Analytics & ML Model Optimization Visualization & Dashboards (UX) Generative AI & LLMs

Description

Most customers are unaware of how much flexibility they already have in their electricity consumption. As EVs, heat pumps, batteries, and dynamic tariffs become more common, flexibility is becoming an increasingly valuable resource for both customers and the energy system. This challenge explores how technology can help customers discover, understand, and leverage their flexibility potential through intuitive and engaging experiences. 

The goal is to empower customers to make informed energy decisions and become active participants in the energy transition. The goal is not to build a predefined solution, but to explore how customer flexibility can be made visible, understandable, and actionable. 

We encourage participants to think beyond traditional dashboards and explore a broad range of approaches, from interactive applications and copilots to recommendation engines, simulations, and entirely new customer experiences. Potential solutions could help customers discover flexibility opportunities, understand the implications of different energy decisions, explore the impact of dynamic tariffs, or identify ways to better align consumption with the needs of the electricity system. 

There is no predefined solution or preferred technology approach. Novel ideas, creative concepts, and user-centric experiences are highly encouraged. The focus should be on empowering customers to better understand and leverage their flexibility potential.

Impact

Flexibility is one of the most valuable resources in the future energy system, yet most customers do not know they have it. This challenge explores how we can make flexibility visible, understandable, and useful for everyone—helping customers play an active role in the energy transition.

Data Set

Datasets will be revealed closer to the challenge – stay tuned.

Needed Skills

Skills or interests that might come in handy for this challenge: 

  • Generative AI & LLMs: to build a conversational assistant for flexibility insights and recommendations. 
  • Microsoft Fabric: to create data, analytics, and application components. 
  • Energy Analytics: to assess flexibility potential and estimate savings. 
  • Azure AI Foundry: to build and deploy AI-powered copilots and agents. 
  • Data Visualization / Frontend Development: to create intuitive customer experiences. 

Don't worry if some of these topics are new to you – experts from Microsoft and EKZ will be on hand throughout the challenge to provide guidance, share insights, and support teams through technical discussions and knowledge exchange.

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