Energy & Resources Copywriting

The energy industry has a lot of explaining to do.

Few industries attract quite as much attention, argument or scrutiny as energy.

Everybody needs it. Almost everybody has an opinion about it. And whether the subject is household bills, energy security, fossil fuels, nuclear power, renewable generation or the transition to lower-carbon technologies, there’s rarely a shortage of competing interests.

That makes energy copywriting an interesting challenge.

Companies must explain complicated technologies, justify commercial decisions, address environmental concerns and communicate with audiences who don’t necessarily agree about what matters most. I’ve been writing professionally for 30 years, including work for major energy providers, utility companies and international resources businesses.

My experience covers gas, electricity, water, oil and petroleum, nuclear energy and renewable technologies including solar, biomass, hydroelectricity and onshore and offshore wind.

It’s a broad industry. And not everybody wants to hear the same thing.

One industry. Several competing conversations.

A domestic customer wants to understand their bill.

An investor might want to understand future demand, operating performance and the commercial implications of an energy transition. Engineers need technical accuracy.

Regulators need evidence. Policymakers need clarity about consequences. Communities want to understand how a proposed development could affect them.

Employees, suppliers and commercial partners have their own questions.

Sometimes these audiences are reading the same document. That’s where things become difficult. Good energy and utilities copywriting starts by understanding who needs the information, what they already know and what they’re trying to establish.

The answer isn’t necessarily to simplify everything. It’s to make sure the important details reach the people who need them.

Complicated technology deserves a clear explanation

Energy is full of technically demanding subjects.

Generation capacity, grid infrastructure, energy storage, hydrogen production, carbon capture, transmission losses, emissions accounting and new approaches to extraction or generation. The terminology is perfectly familiar to people working in the industry. To everybody else, it may require rather more explanation.

I research the subject, examine the source material and speak to technical specialists where necessary. What does the technology do? What problem does it solve? How does it compare with existing approaches? Which figures matter? What can reasonably be claimed?

My job isn’t to replace the expertise of engineers, scientists or energy specialists. It’s to help them communicate what they know without losing accuracy along the way. Because making something easier to understand shouldn’t mean making it less true.

Sustainability claims need something behind them

Few subjects illustrate the importance of careful wording better than sustainability.

Terms such as clean, green, sustainable, net zero and carbon neutral can carry substantial implications. Sometimes they’re appropriate. Sometimes they need qualification. And sometimes they shouldn’t be used at all.

A credible environmental claim needs to explain what’s being measured, what has been achieved, what remains uncertain and which limitations matter. I’ll work with your approved data, research and specialist contributions to make the meaning clear without exaggerating the results.

That includes distinguishing between commitments and achievements, targets and forecasts, and operational improvements and wider environmental impacts. I’m a copywriter, not an environmental auditor or regulatory adviser. I won’t pretend otherwise. But I will ask where the figures came from and whether the words accurately reflect them.

Transparency isn’t always comfortable

Energy businesses operate in an environment where decisions can be questioned by customers, communities, regulators, campaigners and the media. And not always without justification.

Price changes, supply concerns, environmental impacts, infrastructure developments and conflicting commercial priorities can all create difficult conversations.

There isn’t much point covering those difficulties with optimistic adjectives.

Clear communication won’t make every decision popular. Nor should it be expected to. But it can help explain the reasoning, present the evidence, acknowledge the consequences and demonstrate that the organisation understands the questions being asked.

Sometimes the most persuasive thing a business can do is answer a difficult question properly.

Not every energy company is an energy supplier

The industry includes considerably more than the organisations sending out gas and electricity bills.

There are generators, infrastructure operators, equipment manufacturers, engineering consultancies, technology developers, contractors, resource companies and businesses providing specialist services throughout the supply chain.

Some are communicating with millions of consumers. Others may be trying to reach a relatively small number of technically informed buyers.

A renewable energy developer needs different communications from an oilfield services company. A water utility has different obligations and audiences from a specialist battery technology business.

I’ll adapt the language, emphasis and level of detail to the organisation, the intended reader and the purpose of the project.

The subject may be energy. The message still needs to be yours.

Energy and resources copywriting services

I provide copywriting for energy suppliers, utility providers, renewable energy businesses, oil and gas companies, engineering firms, technology developers and organisations across the resources sector. Projects can include:

Energy and utilities website copy
Corporate brochures and capability statements
Technical and product marketing content
Annual reports and corporate communications
Sustainability and ESG reports
White papers and industry reports
Case studies and project profiles
Thought-leadership articles and blogs
Energy advertising and campaigns
Customer and stakeholder communications
Press releases and corporate announcements
Energy-sector stakeholder communications

I can work directly with your business or alongside your marketing, communications, technical, sustainability or agency team.

Thirty years of asking the right questions

My background in journalism, government speechwriting and commercial copywriting has involved explaining complex issues to people with very different levels of knowledge, expectations and interests. That’s particularly useful in energy and resources. Over the years, I’ve worked for the likes of Anglian Water, B&V Group, State Oil Group, Shell, Powergen, BP and EDF Energy.

I know when to simplify a technical explanation, qualify a claim or ask for evidence rather than another paragraph. I also know that good writing can’t resolve every commercial, environmental or political disagreement.

It can, however, make sure people understand what’s actually being said.

Which is a useful place to start.

Got something difficult to explain?

Perhaps you’re launching a new technology, preparing a report, rewriting your website or trying to communicate a complicated issue without creating three more questions for every one you answer.

Send me the brief, the existing material or simply tell me what you’re working on.

I’ll ask a few questions. Then I’ll tell you whether I can help.