Utilities Must Take a Pragmatic Approach to the Energy Transformation

Few will dispute the fact that the industry is undergoing significant change. The shift to clean and distributed energy sources and the adoption of EVs will force significant changes to the way distribution companies run their businesses. However, much of what is written on business transformation can be high level. If everything that is written on the subject is to be believed, then there are huge utility transformation projects occurring across the world. While there is certainly a lot of activity, projects are typically targeted at specific areas rather than businesswide.

Transform Business Models via Planning

As discussed in Guidehouse Insights’ Distribution Utility Transformation Strategies report, which highlights some of the leading examples of business model transformation within distribution networks, transformation does not happen overnight. Rather, it is a decade-long process that requires careful planning and a staged approach. There are many different drivers for transformation, including increasing competition, business process efficiency improvements, a renewed focus on customer experience, new product and service development, and the incorporation of distributed energy resources (DER). These drivers will affect utilities in different ways; the most striking difference is between competitive and monopoly markets.

Create a Vision for the Future

One key takeaway is that as with any large-scale project, utilities must set out a vision for their future businesses and a roadmap detailing how to achieve this goal. Companies cannot do everything all at once, so they must place their bets wisely and invest in projects that deliver the biggest returns. In addition, organizations cannot underestimate the contribution a strong stakeholder engagement program can make to a project’s success.

Develop an Actionable Roadmap

As a result, each utility’s transformation will be different and will happen at different times—and at different rates. Digital Utility Transformation Best Practices builds on some of the recommendations provided in Guidehouse, Inc.’s “Energy Cloud Playbook” to offer best practices for creating an actionable roadmap for transformation. Most utilities will not be able to avoid the inevitable forever. Therefore, they must plan now for their future businesses. The right strategy will help utilities navigate political uncertainty; manage market-specific regulatory policies; access project finance from skeptical and conservative shareholders; and confront legacy issues such as corporate culture, a lack of skills, and outdated technologies.

The latest reports published in Guidehouse Insights’ Digital Utility Strategies Research Service provide specific details on different utilities’ transformation projects. They discuss and compare initiatives in California, New York, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Australia while also providing some practical advice to organizations embarking on their own transformation projects.