We recently hosted an event for our energy consultant partners on ‘Our Collective Role in Powering a Sustainable Energy Future’! It was an inspiring and engaging day, in which we saw key figures in the energy industry come together to discuss the changes that we’ve been seeing in the energy landscape, and the considerations and opportunities this may present for businesses.

It’s important to us that we help to encourage discussion around the energy transition with thought-leading experts, as we learn and work together to shape our industry for the better. Similarly, we know that our energy consultant partners want to be well-equipped to support their customers in building a holistic energy strategy as they navigate the energy transition, through the use of various low-carbon technologies and supply contracts. In bringing together experts on the energy transition and our energy consultant partners, we hope that we are empowering consumers to make meaningful change on their sustainability journey.

Nine industry experts shared their unique input throughout the day in three different sessions, with each session followed by a panel discussion. You can read about some key themes and takeaways from the day, below.

In our first session, our speakers addressed the big question of how we can achieve a net zero, sustainable energy future. Our three speakers focused on the changes we’ve been seeing in the energy industry, and those which still need to be implemented in order to reach net zero. They highlighted the ways that we can learn from each other so that we all can reap the benefits of a decarbonised energy system.

• Duncan Dale, Vice President of Customers Facing Business at Statkraft, discussed the big changes we are seeing in the energy market and how they are affecting product development. We can see this through the establishment of Corporate Power Purchase Agreements (CPPAs), rooftop solar panels, and green hydrogen. His talk highlighted the interconnected nature of the energy transition and the ability of nations and businesses alike to pivot towards renewable solutions.
• National Grid’s UK Sustainability Manager, Steve Thompson, focused on the major changes seen in energy infrastructure, showcasing the progress that has been made so far in decarbonising Great Britain’s grid, and underscoring the ways that everyone’s sustainability efforts affect each other.
• Rachel Cary, Head of Industrial Strategy at Energy UK, covered the changes that we’ve seen in policy in the UK’s recent political landscape, as well as the need for further reform and policy updates to better limit the price of electricity.

Our second session discussed the future of carbon reporting and energy procurement for businesses. Our three speakers addressed some considerations and changes that businesses may be seeing in our rapidly evolving energy landscape.

• Independent Consultant Mike Shirley took us through the future of carbon reporting for electricity, as standards continue to evolve and new ways to demonstrate sustainability efforts emerge.
• Robert Buckley, Head of Strategic Accounts at Cornwall Insight, explored the trends we are seeing in business energy procurement and supply – especially regarding the changing role and value of Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGOs) certificates – and highlighted the various routes businesses can take in their procurement strategy.
• Alongside these discussions, we heard an example of a customer’s sustainability journey from Pip Squire, Head of Sustainability at Ark Data Centres. As a provider of data centres, Ark Data Centres uses a significant amount of electricity, so it was interesting to hear from Pip about how their decarbonisation strategy has evolved through efficiencies and innovative solutions.

Session three focused on the importance of demand flexibility and low-carbon technologies in supporting the energy transition and enhancing businesses’ energy strategy.

• National Energy System Operator’s (NESO) Engagement Lead, James Kerr, explained the essential need for demand flexibility to help balance a grid that’s powered by renewables, without major infrastructure changes.
• Jon Ferris, Head of Flexibility at LCP Delta, explored the role that low-carbon technology – such as solar panels, heat pumps, and batteries – can play in assisting the UK to achieve this balance, whilst also offering businesses opportunities to save money and access new revenue streams.
• Rob Moore, Chief Business Development Officer at Connected Energy, then explained how we can use these low-carbon technologies within a holistic energy strategy, using them in tandem with each other to maximise the value that organisations can receive.

These were important and serious topics to cover, but we also wanted to bring some levity to a positive and productive day. Climate comedian Stuart Goldsmith tackled the subject of climate change, using humour to energise the room and provide a fresh perspective on our journey towards becoming more sustainable individuals. We also called in the talents of Scriberia to bring the day’s discussions to life, live, through an engaging and informative piece of art. You can take a look at it below:

Through the discussion from our brilliant speakers, it was clear that, although much progress has been made in our journey towards a sustainable energy future, there’s more we can all do. The responsibility for powering change is on all of us – across nations, governments, industries, and businesses – because what we do affects us all. Both energy consultants and suppliers have a key role to play in driving progress, by guiding businesses and helping them navigate their decarbonisation journey. This also means that we can all take lessons from each other and learn to pivot, which will be essential in adapting to such a rapidly changing landscape. We know that there are benefits to those jumping headfirst into the energy transition, both financial and otherwise, and we encourage everyone to grab those opportunities wherever they can.

We hope that everyone who attended got as much from the day as we did, and that they will continue to push these conversations in new directions in the future. Thank you to everyone who took the time to join us! We will be releasing more content about our event in the future, so keep an eye out for more. In the meantime, if you’d like to read more about the changing energy landscape and how you can get involved, visit here.