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Powering through disruption: why digital stakeholder intelligence is essential for energy leaders

01.09.2025 | Insight

Powering through disruption: why digital stakeholder intelligence is essential for energy leaders

Energy leaders today are navigating disruption on a scale the sector has never faced before. The global energy landscape is shifting fast. Geopolitics, technology, economics and public expectations are all driving this transformation. Yet there is another powerful force influencing the future of your business: your stakeholders.

In the middle of today’s disruption, the voices of stakeholders are shaping what gets built, where investment flows, and even which technologies win public and regulatory support. These voices are no longer limited to boardrooms and industry conferences. They are live, online, shaping the debate in real time. In fact, over a three-month window this Summer, we tracked more than 4.4M social media posts about the energy sector, posted by over 1M people, and we saw a 47% increase in weekly volume of online conversation about the sector.

A landscape of disruption

While the topic of renewables dominates the online discussion about energy, some of the greatest disruption may be taking place in emerging topics that attract a lower volume but play a significant role in the sector’s future.

Energy security has become a national priority as governments try to reduce dependence on others. In Europe, leaders are walking a fine line between US liquefied natural gas (LNG) and Chinese renewables technologies.

Unpredictable demand is another growing pressure. In the US, it has been predicted that data centres and artificial intelligence will create 32 gigawatts of new demand by 2030, while only 5 gigawatts was added in 2024. AI-driven demand growth is mirrored globally, forcing utilities to rethink how they plan capacity.

Innovation is rewriting the rules of the market. General Motors and Redwood Materials recently announced plans to reuse batteries from electric vehicles for grid storage, a move that could change how we think about resilience. Rolls-Royce is building small modular nuclear reactors in the UK with government support, creating a new path for nuclear to be part of the solution. And while President Trump’s executive actions significantly curtailed federal approvals and permitting for new wind‑energy projects in the United States, neighbouring Canada is advancing plans for large offshore wind development, including projects designed to export clean electricity to some U.S. states.

Meanwhile, tech companies such as Google are even entering energy generation directly to power their own data centres, while Microsoft’s 20-year energy agreement with Constellation Energy has driven plans for the restarting of a nuclear reactor that had previously been shut down, in Pennsylvania.

All of this is happening in the context of economic and regulatory uncertainty. Policy changes around carbon pricing and subsidies have a direct impact on the business models of energy companies. A single change to policy can alter the financial case for a project overnight.

These shifts feature in the online discourse of diverse groups of stakeholders on social media, from Government leaders to pressure groups and scientists. “Congratulations to Rolls Royce SMR,” began a tweet by Ed Miliband, the UK’s Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Meanwhile, Sweden’s Minister of Energy and Industry and Deputy Prime Minister, Ebba Busch, tweeted one of a series of lengthy updates on progress in the energy sector, headlining the UK Government Rolls-Royce deal and quoting Rachel Reeves, the UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, saying “Energy security is national security”. 

The debate has attracted the attention of campaign groups on both sides. Net Zero Watch, an advocacy group critical of net-zero targets and promoting nuclear as a more reliable source of energy, tweeted enthusiastic support for the Rolls-Royce news.

Meanwhile, Dr Paul Dorfman, a research associate and Bennett Scholar at the University of Sussex’s Bennett Institute, joined the online debate. Dr Dorfman chairs the Nuclear Consulting Group, an independent network of academics and policy specialists often critical of nuclear energy. He also serves as a member of the Irish Government’s Radiation Protection Advisory Committee. 

Dorfman is widely known as a long-standing critic of nuclear energy. His work focuses on risks of nuclear power and he frequently argues that nuclear is neither clean nor cost-effective compared to renewables.

“Let’s get away from the idea that SMRs are a cutting-edge technology,” tweeted Dr Dorfman, citing a Guardian reader who had contributed to a collection of letters posted under the headline “Spending billions on unclean, risky energy? What a nuclear waste”.

Stakeholders are influencing outcomes

These changes are not just shaped by technology or market forces. They are shaped by people.

When the UK government funded the Rolls-Royce nuclear programme, it sent a clear signal to analysts and investors. Their responses were immediate, influencing how the market viewed the company’s prospects. Similarly, when the Scottish government approved the Berwick Bank offshore wind farm, environmental groups made their voices heard in opposition, while supporters argued for its contribution to a net-zero future.

Investors, community leaders, NGOs, regulators, scientists and even competitors now have a louder voice than ever. They are influencing decision-making and project timelines. Many of these voices are expressed online, where conversations are public and visible.

This means that success is no longer only about delivering the right technology or project. It is also about understanding and working with the stakeholders who shape its acceptance.

Digital conversations move fast

Conversations about energy are happening every day, online. They happen on LinkedIn, Twitter, Bluesky, Reddit and in specialist forums. They happen fast, and they influence the people who make decisions.

In our work with other regulated industries such as pharmaceuticals, we have seen how digital conversations can change the direction of a policy or launch. A single scientist’s opinion, amplified online, can become a rallying point for peers, leading to faster adoption of an idea or creating a barrier to progress.

The same patterns are visible in energy. Digital platforms give stakeholders a powerful way to connect, share ideas, ask questions and sometimes challenge the status quo.

Why traditional approaches fall short

Traditional stakeholder research has its place, but it often fails to pick up on these real-time, fast-moving conversations. By the time a survey is analysed or a report lands on your desk, the discussion has moved on.

You cannot afford to wait months to find out how your most important stakeholders are thinking about nuclear safety, offshore wind developments or the future of battery storage. Projects worth billions can be impacted by shifts in sentiment that happen in days.

Using digital intelligence to guide your next move

This is where digital stakeholder intelligence comes in.

At CREATION.co we have been working for more than 25 years in some of the most highly regulated industries in the world. We track online conversations, analyse what is being said and show leaders what matters most to their stakeholders.

We combine proprietary technology with expert consulting to give you a clear picture of what your stakeholders are saying, how they feel and which voices are having the most influence. Our insights do not stop at providing information. We work with you through proven consulting tools to plan your next steps and take meaningful action with confidence.

For example, in other regulated scientific sectors, we have helped leaders to:

  • Uncover unseen issues driving stakeholder conversations, such as cultural or social factors that were missing from traditional research, and reshape strategies to build trust and alignment.
  • Bring clarity where complexity was causing confusion among stakeholders, using insights to guide evidence-based communication that cuts through noise and builds confidence.
  • Detect early warning signals by spotting trends and concerns in real time, allowing clients to act faster than competitors or regulators.
  • Pinpoint where capability gaps or misinformation existed, so clients could deliver targeted engagement or training that transformed how stakeholders responded.
  • Identify the most influential voices in their field, so that engaging with them amplified the right messages far beyond a single meeting or event.

Listening first

Energy leaders who are serious about navigating disruption will make listening a priority.

Digital intelligence helps you move from reacting to events to shaping them. It gives you a way to engage with empathy, to anticipate challenges before they happen and to make better informed decisions.

The energy sector is entering a period where the speed and complexity of change will only grow. The leaders who thrive will be those who can combine technological innovation with a deep understanding of the people and communities shaping its future.

Your stakeholders are already speaking. The question is: are you listening?

If you would like to explore how digital stakeholder intelligence could support your next major project or strategy, we would be delighted to talk.

Read more about our social intelligence services for the energy sector.

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Meet the Author

Daniel Ghinn

Daniel has been at the helm throughout the company’s life since 1998. His rich expertise in working with pharmaceutical businesses has enabled CREATION to build business solutions that fit our clients’ needs.

Daniel is married to Jo, has three children, a cat, a dog, 28 fish, and 160,000 bees.