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Unlike letters, telegrams and phone calls, email has been free to send for pretty much its entire existence. The reason: providers realised that the data contained in them was more valuable (for attracting advertisers) than the income that could be gained by charging.

In 2019 the same will happen with electricity, as power companies begin experimenting with free or unlimited services. Just as telecommunications companies allowed their customers to migrate from plans that metered their consumption of phone calls and data to packages that offered free hardware and unlimited calling or streaming, utilities will begin providing electricity without charge to remain competitive. Instead they will be finding ways to extract value from their customers’ data that exceeds the value of the electricity provided.

One route to this will be the offer of a bundle deal that requires a user to install smart devices throughout their home in exchange for unlimited energy consumption, at least during some periods of the day. Some big power companies, such as Centrica, with its Hive offering, are already in this sector or, as in the case of Exelon and General Electric, have built partnerships with smart-device manufacturers. And they are beginning to understand the value of the data they produce.

The value of this data differs from the returns that social media companies can generate via targeted advertising. For energy utilities, the value of better data is rooted in the promise of more efficient operations and improved prediction of demand – both of which will reduce costs and and increase the efficiency of providing “on-demand” energy to consumers. Given that utility operations increasingly operate on razor-thin margins, the extent to which demand can be predicted will give them an opportunity for increasing profit.

Historically, attempts to change electricity pricing or plans have been met with tremendous scrutiny. We can expect regulators, who are charged with managing fair and equitable access to power, to be greatly concerned about whether new power offerings will result in increased prices or reduced services to vulnerable populations.

The advent of free or unlimited electricity plans might seem to encourage wasteful overconsumption. In fact, they could have the opposite effect as utilities offer additional services, products or incentives to help energy users smooth their consumption, for example shifting the use of appliances such as washing machines or dishwashers to off-peak hours. This could in turn reduce stresses on the grid, making black-outs a thing of the past. And usage this data available to third-party corporations could lead to fresh take on consumer products and services centred on efficient and deliberate use of energy.

Net victories are possible for consumers, producers and the environment – but only if consumers see a clear benefit.

Next year will be about persuading consumers of the benefits of allowing power companies more access to their homes and businesses. But, if they can achieve that, we will see the start of a revolution in the way we pay for energy, with electrons in effect being free and associated services generating value and profit.

William Welser is a partner at ReD Associates, a global strategy consulting company