Centrica : Embracing the digital energy revolution

Earlier this week, Centrica partnered with the German Marshall Fund (GMF), a think tank, to release a report on the digital transformation of energy.

The report concludes a year-long partnership with Centrica and a series of events organised in Brussels to review the ongoing revolution in the world of energy and the opportunities and challenges that it presents. The report compares US and European approaches, reflecting Centrica's footprint on both sides of the Atlantic.

Centrica is playing a leading role in this revolution and transitioning from a traditional utility provider to a technology-driven energy and services company.

Neal Coady, Head of Technology Strategy for Centrica Connected Home, was present in Brussels for the launch of the report: 'At Centrica we see three main benefits of the 'digitalisation' of the energy sector: new products and services for our customers; greater system efficiency; and CO2 emissions savings through higher integration of renewables'.

Centrica uses digital technology to satisfy the changing needs to its customers.

• In the residential sector, Centrica smart home solutions (available under the Hive brand) allow customers to control their energy, save on bills and make everyday life a little easier.

• For industrial and commercial customers, Centrica Business Solutions is deploying distributed energy solutions on-site to improve operational efficiency, increase resilience and save on costs. It provides end-to-end services across a range of areas including CHP, battery storage (combined with solar), peaking plants and demand-side response.

• Technological change is happening at a fast pace, opening possibilities for innovative projects, such as Centrica's Cornwall Local Energy Market and REstore's new Virtual Power Plant project in Belgium.

The report developed by GMF aims to feed into the policy debate in Europe and North America as policymakers and regulators try to respond to the ongoing energy revolution.

'We need to think of dynamic regulation for the energy market of tomorrow. I am stressing the term 'dynamic', as we cannot afford rigid regulation that is blocking change and not adapting fast enough to technology developments', Neal Coady concluded.

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