Opinion Dynamics
Opinion Dynamics is a North American program evaluation and advisory firm serving electric utilities, public utility commissions, and energy organizations with research, behavioral science, and engineering expertise spanning energy efficiency, electrification, and demand flexibility.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersWaltham, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Opinion Dynamics does
Opinion Dynamics is a Waltham, Massachusetts-headquartered program evaluation and advisory firm dedicated to the energy sector, founded in 1988 and operating for 37 years as an independent company before being acquired by E Source on August 19, 2025. The firm serves electric utilities, public utility commissions, regional energy organizations, and energy start-ups across North America with multidisciplinary expertise combining social scientists, economists, engineers, consultants, and data scientists. Its core services cover Portfolio Design & Evaluation, Electrification & Decarbonization, Transportation Electrification, Demand Flexibility, Data Dashboards, and the Whole Independent Systems Evaluation (WISE) framework, supported by proprietary methodologies including the FLEX Framework for distributed energy resource integration and a seven-stage Demand Response Customer Engagement Model grounded in behavioral science.
The firm generates revenue through fee-for-service professional services engagements, including program evaluation contracts, portfolio design mandates, technical consulting, and regulatory advisory work. Distribution is exclusively direct-to-enterprise via consulting and evaluation contracts with named utility and government clients such as Southern California Edison, Xcel Energy Colorado, Ameren, Portland General Electric, PG&E, Consolidated Edison, PSE&G Long Island, Marin Clean Energy, the Vermont Public Utility Commission, the California Public Utilities Commission, the California Energy Commission, and the US Department of Energy. GTM motion combines direct sales-led enterprise engagement with content marketing (blog, white papers, podcasts), conference presence (PLMA, Distributech, ACEEE, IEPEC), and university/government research partnerships.
Since 2025, the firm has expanded into adjacent verticals such as clean heat standards (Vermont) and software-anchored EV managed charging evaluation (WeaveGrid partnership, Orange & Rockland Utilities), and has strengthened its data analytics function with senior leadership hires. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of E Source (which is backed by Align Capital Partners), Opinion Dynamics retains its brand and operating autonomy while gaining access to broader utility advisory capabilities and capital for continued growth.
Opinion Dynamics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Opinion Dynamics
- Legal name
- Opinion Dynamics – E Source Companies LLC
- Website
- https://opiniondynamics.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Opinion Dynamics is a North American program evaluation and advisory firm serving electric utilities, public utility commissions, and energy organizations with research, behavioral science, and engineering expertise spanning energy efficiency, electrification, and demand flexibility.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Opinion Dynamics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Energy Program Evaluation Services
- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- ESG Strategy & Materiality Assessment (EUAHAJAA)
Keywords
Where Opinion Dynamics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Waltham
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Opinion Dynamics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Professional Services - Program Evaluation: Opinion Dynamics provides program evaluation and advisory services to utilities, public utilities commissions, regional energy organizations, and government agencies. Revenue is generated through consulting engagements, evaluation contracts, and technical advisory services. The company operates as a fee-for-service professional services firm.
- Technical Consulting: The company provides technical consulting services including portfolio design, market assessments, and regulatory advisory work for state-level clean heat standards and energy programs.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Opinion Dynamics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Opinion Dynamics provides program evaluation and advisory services to electric utilities, public utility commissions, regional energy organizations, and government agencies. The firm offers a multidisciplinary suite spanning portfolio design and evaluation, electrification and decarbonization advisory, transportation electrification evaluation, and demand flexibility research, supported by behavioral science, economic analysis, engineering expertise, and data analytics. It delivers independent third-party program evaluation, market assessments, regulatory advisory, and customer engagement research primarily across North America.
Product overview
Opinion Dynamics is a program evaluation and advisory firm offering a comprehensive suite of services at the intersection of the customer and the grid. The company provides multidisciplinary expertise including social science research, economic analysis, engineering evaluation, and data analytics. The core service offerings include Portfolio Design & Evaluation (program evaluation for utility energy efficiency portfolios), Electrification & Decarbonization (strategic analysis for building and residential decarbonization), Transportation Electrification (EV load management evaluation), Demand Flexibility (demand response analysis), Data Dashboards (data visualization), and WISE (Whole Independent Systems Evaluation for large-scale initiatives). Supporting these core services are the TECH Clean California Research Index (a centralized heat pump research resource), the Threads of Equity Podcast (exploring diversity and inclusion in clean energy), and Case Studies & White Papers (published research covering various energy sector topics). Opinion Dynamics primarily serves electric utilities, public utilities commissions, regional energy organizations, and energy start-ups across North America. In August 2025, Opinion Dynamics was acquired by E Source to strengthen combined capabilities in utility program evaluation and advisory services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Portfolio Design & Evaluation Comprehensive program evaluation services for utility energy efficiency portfolios, providing defensible insights and accurate information regarding energy consumption and program performance for electric utilities and regulators.
- Electrification & Decarbonization Strategic analysis and advisory services supporting building and residential decarbonization, heat pump market studies, and clean energy transitions for utilities and state regulators.
- Transportation Electrification Evaluation and consulting for EV load management programs, managed charging strategies, and transportation electrification initiatives for electric utilities.
- Demand Flexibility Demand response program evaluation, load flexibility analysis, and customer engagement research for residential and commercial customer segments of utility programs.
- Data Dashboards Data visualization and analytics dashboards providing actionable information regarding energy trends and consumption patterns for utility clients.
- WISE (Whole Independent Systems Evaluation) Independent evaluation services for large-scale energy initiatives, providing near real-time feedback to improve program operations and drive better outcomes.
Quantifiable outcome
- Achieved average 20% per-household load reduction during Flex Alert events
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Opinion Dynamics
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Opinion Dynamics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Opinion Dynamics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- E SourcecoreE Source, a utility sector solutions company based in Boulder, Colorado, acquired Opinion Dynamics. The acquisition strengthens E Source's services in energy efficiency, electrification, and grid-edge solutions by incorporating Opinion Dynamics' expertise in program evaluation and customer insights. Opinion Dynamics continues to operate under its brand.
- Vermont Public Utility CommissioncoreOpinion Dynamics was selected by the Vermont Public Utility Commission to support the development of the Vermont Clean Heat Standard. The company serves as technical consultant responsible for developing clean heat measure characterizations and aiding the Technical Advisory Group.
- Orange & Rockland UtilitiesflagshipOpinion Dynamics is part of the team awarded $3 million by New York State for the Distribution-Optimized EV Managed Charging to Enhance Grid Flexibility Project. Opinion Dynamics serves as evaluation partner providing methodological expertise and measurement strategies to demonstrate project outcomes.
- WeaveGridcorePartner in the Distribution-Optimized EV Managed Charging project with Orange & Rockland Utilities. WeaveGrid provides software solutions to optimize EV charging for utility benefits including distribution system asset protection and load balancing.
- New York StateflagshipGovernor Kathy Hochul announced $3 million awarded to three projects including the Distribution-Optimized EV Managed Charging project in which Opinion Dynamics participates as evaluation partner.
- TECH Clean California (Energy Solutions)flagshipOpinion Dynamics serves as the independent evaluator for TECH Clean California, a large-scale initiative transforming the California market for space- and water-heating heat pumps. The company conducts Whole Independent Systems Evaluation (WISE) alongside the implementer.
- Southern California Edison (SCE)coreOpinion Dynamics serves as the evaluator for SCE's Charge Ready Light Duty program, which supports California's GHG emissions targets and local air quality goals by offsetting costs of EV charging stations.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Opinion Dynamics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- APPRISE: Energy program evaluation firm specializing in low-income and residential energy programs, competing for similar utility and government-funded evaluation contracts.
- Cadmus: Energy, climate, and sustainability consulting firm with a strong program evaluation practice serving utilities and government agencies on energy efficiency and electrification initiatives, directly competing for evaluation contracts.
- Energy Solutions: Energy program implementer and evaluator that partners with Opinion Dynamics on TECH Clean California as the implementing partner; comparable in serving California PUC and utility clients with energy efficiency and decarbonization programs.
- NMR Group: Specialist residential energy program evaluation firm with deep expertise in energy efficiency measurement and verification, directly competing for similar utility evaluation engagements.
- Illume Advising: Utility program evaluation and advisory specialist serving utilities and regulators with energy efficiency and demand response evaluation, with overlapping customer base in the US utility market.
- Resource Innovations: Energy efficiency and demand-side management consulting firm serving utilities, PUCs, and state agencies across the US with program design and evaluation services.
- ScottMadden: Energy consulting firm serving US utilities on regulatory, program design, and evaluation matters with overlapping client base in IOUs and cooperatives.
Broad incumbents
- ICF International: Large global consulting firm with a substantial energy and environment practice serving utilities, government agencies, and regulators on energy efficiency, climate, and infrastructure programs.
- DNV: Global energy advisory and certification company (which acquired Nexant) offering energy consulting, software, and program evaluation services to utilities and regulators worldwide.
Emerging players
- The Brattle Group: Economic and regulatory consulting firm with a substantial energy practice advising utilities, regulators, and policy makers on rate design, demand response, and energy market economics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Opinion Dynamics social profiles
Digital presenceOpinion Dynamics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Opinion Dynamics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Opinion Dynamics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Opinion Dynamics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Opinion Dynamics
What does Opinion Dynamics do?
Opinion Dynamics provides program evaluation and advisory services to electric utilities, public utility commissions, regional energy organizations, and government agencies. The firm offers a multidisciplinary suite spanning portfolio design and evaluation, electrification and decarbonization advisory, transportation electrification evaluation, and demand flexibility research, supported by behavioral science, economic analysis, engineering expertise, and data analytics. It delivers independent third-party program evaluation, market assessments, regulatory advisory, and customer engagement research primarily across North America.
Is Opinion Dynamics a public or private company?
Opinion Dynamics is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently acquired.
When was Opinion Dynamics founded?
Opinion Dynamics was founded in 1988. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Opinion Dynamics based?
Opinion Dynamics is headquartered in Waltham, United States, in the North America region.
How does Opinion Dynamics make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Professional Services - Program Evaluation is the primary driver. The others are technical Consulting.
Who are Opinion Dynamics's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are APPRISE, Cadmus, Energy Solutions, NMR Group, Illume Advising, Resource Innovations and ScottMadden. Broad incumbents are ICF International and DNV. The Brattle Group is listed as an emerging player.
Does Opinion Dynamics have an API?
No public API is recorded for Opinion Dynamics.
What industry is Opinion Dynamics in?
Opinion Dynamics's product category is Energy Program Evaluation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAHAJAA, ESG Strategy & Materiality Assessment. Its NAICS code is 54161 and its SIC code is 8742.