The Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) launched the free Energy Choices Tool on 17 October 2025. The charity said the tool, funded by National Grid Electricity Distribution and Northern Powergrid, provides independent advice on smart energy options tailored to individual circumstances1.
Users complete an online survey and receive personalised recommendations covering smart energy products, services and tariffs that could work for them, with each recommendation including guidance on benefits, costs and what is needed to get started1. The tool covers options from simple timer plugs to solar panels, and CSE said it focuses on types of solution rather than specific brands, so that advice carries no commercial influence1.
CSE describes smart energy options as products, services or tariffs that help households reduce energy use, lower fuel costs, adjust the time of day when electricity is used, make the most of appliances and renewable energy sources, and cut carbon emissions1. The charity said the tool is designed to support households struggling with energy costs or looking to reduce their environmental impact, as well as energy advisors, local authorities and community organisations working with them1. It was co-created with consumers and energy experts, drawing on CSE's 45 years as an independent national energy advice charity1.
Why it matters for households
Household energy independence turns on choosing equipment and tariffs that match how a home actually uses power, and on knowing what a change costs before committing to it. CSE says the tool's recommendations cover benefits, costs and getting started, and that it names solution types rather than brands1. For homes weighing time-of-use pricing, the relevant options include Agile and dynamic half-hourly electricity tariffs, electric vehicle energy tariffs and heat pump electricity tariffs, while households comparing export payments can look at Good Energy and Octopus Smart Export Guarantee tariffs. The tool's stated focus on solution types rather than brands means it does not point users to a named supplier or product1.
CSE has not reported how many recommendations the tool covers, which suppliers or products it draws on, or how its advice is kept current as tariffs change. It has also not reported whether the tool covers Northern Ireland, where the retail market differs from Great Britain. The funding comes from two distribution network operators, and CSE states the tool carries no commercial influence1; no further detail on the funding terms has been reported.
What happens next
No next steps, expansion plans or review dates have been reported1. The tool is available now, and CSE invites energy advice professionals to use it with the people they support1.