不会过时的实用程序是一个有限公司llaborative Utility [WEBINAR]

Like so many sectors before them (telecom, mobility, hospitality…),utilitiesare facing mounting pressureson their traditional business model.

Thesedriving forcesare coming from all directions: shrinking margins due to increased supply from distributed energy resources (DERs) like solar, microgrids, batteries etc., fresh competition from new market entrants from Google to Drift, changing customer expectations… the list goes on.

In this disruptive maelstrom,utilities must innovate to drive growth as their traditional business model undergoes a seismic shift.

In aspecial editionof ourDEXMA Webinar Series, hear from areal utilityon how they are dealing with disruption, and leveraging data-driven tools to re-invent their business models.

What does innovation in utilities actually look like?

Obviously, blaming external factors and throwing in the towel is not an option. But some utilities are starting to realise the need toconsider more advanced solutionsand first movers are already starting todiversify their offerings beyond power supply and distribution.

Now Trending: Acquisitions

Several large utilities have already employed an inorganic, M&A-based strategy, identifying and acquiring companies that have an existing brand and market position in energy service management.

Thepast five years alonehave seen several major acquisitions of energy management solutions by some of the world’s largest utility companies, summarised here by Verdantix research:

• Last month, Enel bought EnerNOC in a $250 million dollar deal to boost its commercial and industrial (C&I) energy management capabilities and target cross-selling opportunities across its new client base, according to theofficial press release
• Veolia acquired Enovity, a provider of both energy management and facilities management services
• ENGIE acquired Ecova,Green Charge Networks and C3 Resources
• Centrica boughtPanoramic PowerandENER-G,and last monthconfirmedthat it will continue to invest in home services and energy solutions
• Duke Energy bought Phoenix Energy Technologies
• E.ON acquired energy services firmMatrix

What conclusions can be drawn from this flurry of M&A activity?Utilities are seeinglittle to no growth potential from traditional energy supply and power generation into the near future.At the same time, they arebeginning to realise the value of behind-the-meter energy management innovations in future-proofing themselves against the forces of disruption.

But instead of trying to build them internally, first mover utilities are snapping up ready-made companies to expand and enhance their own energy management portfolios. Some utilities, such as Eniig, have their own energy services (ESCO) divisions where these data-driven technologies are essential to providing innovative, value-added services to help grow and retain their customer base.

The Seeding-the-Startup Approach

Startup competitions, accelerators or open innovation challenges are another way utilities have been trying to source innovation externally. Take the case ofFree Electrons, a global startup accelerator program backed by utilities from Dublin to Dubai, namelyAusNet Services,DEWA,EBS,EDP,innogy,Origin Energy,Singapore Power Group, andTEPCO. Collectively, these 8 utilities serve over 70 million customers in 40 countries, with an excess of $148 billion in sales.

Another example is theRockstart Smart Energy Accelerator, which counts Czech utilityCEZandEngieamong its investors and partners – both among the top 10 largest utilities in Europe.

These are just some of the innovation efforts we’ve seen from first mover utilities seeking to retain a competitive advantage in the face of disruption. The question now is –what is your utility doing to future-proof itself?

The Partnership Pathway

At DEXMA it’s one of our favourite sayings: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”The industry experts atPwCseem to agree:

Utilities crafting new business models and customer programs should bothleverage industry best practicesandseek effective stakeholder collaborationwith experienced and agile technology partners.

如何?通过采用一个wide-net, open innovation approach.Startup accelerators and acquisitions are two ways to go about this, but both of these approaches can take alotof time – from nurturing a startup to scale to absorbing an entirely new business unit.

A potentiallyfasterandmore cost-effectiveinnovation pathway involvesleveraging the existing market expertise of experienced market players,whether it means joining forces with other power utilities or partnering with key suppliers to innovate in parallel.

Thispartnership approachcan be the first step in future-proofing: a new go-to-market model that positions the utility as an integral yet innovative part of the broader, rapidly transitioning energy ecosystem.

To hear a real utility about how this approach to innovation works in practice,check out the free webinar below: