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Remaking energy retail

Energy retail is a state of upheaval – huge consolidation, tighter regulations and falling profits, but a wealth of opportunities lie ahead as we transition to net zero. In this comprehensively researched report, in association with Charles River Associates, we talk to 16 senior executives about the future, including in depth interviews with Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus and Ed Kamm CEO Shell Energy.

By Utility Week

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Latest articles

Entries now open for Utility Week Awards
The Utility Week Awards are returning to London’s Grosvenor Hotel this December. See a full list of categories and find out how to enter here.
News
Can open banking resolve utilities’ debt fears?
Download Utility Week’s report to discover the factors driving industry pilots of open banking technology to improve debt and payment management in the post-pandemic world.
Downloads

Editor’s picks

How Kraken is waking up customer service for global partners
Kraken Technologies, the customer service platform built by Octopus Energy, is currently running 17 million accounts. But by 2027, Kraken hopes to have 100 million, by offering partner energy companies cost savings, added value and its 'special sauce'. Lara Beers, vice president for global sales, explains.
Analysis
Battle of the boilers
The debate over decarbonisation of heat is marked by polarised views from the passionate advocates of electrification and green gas - each with a statistic at the ready to prove their case. As part of Utility Week’s Countdown to COP series, David Blackman unpicks the arguments and examines the key question for policymakers - what role hydrogen will have in warming the homes of the future?
Analysis
UW Explains: Field service technology for better customer service
Moving from a paper-based system to a digital-based field service approach brings a plethora of benefits for companies, their workforces and their customers. It gives an opportunity to manage workloads in an efficient and safe manner, allows customers to keep tabs on appointment times and check the progress of their enquiry. But how do you get it right?
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Customer service

Tech Talk: New payment option cuts costs and risks for energy retailers
With bad debt risk spiralling for energy providers, and growing economic uncertainty for customers, both groups are seeking new ways to settle their energy bills. In a new technical white paper, Siemens make the case for leveraging two innovative technologies, Managed Credit and Open Banking, to realise a compelling fourth payment option, which strikes a unique balance between credit risk and operational costs.
Analysis
Paving the way to net zero
What enabling actions are needed to ensure we make best use of data and digitalisation on the road to net zero? A new report from Utility Week and CGI highlights five key requirements.
Analysis

Energy flexibility

Paving the way to net zero
What enabling actions are needed to ensure we make best use of data and digitalisation on the road to net zero? A new report from Utility Week and CGI highlights five key requirements.
Analysis
Enhanced flexibility could save up to £16.7bn per year by 2050
Greater flexibility could cut energy system costs by £16.7 billion per year by 2050, according to new research from the Carbon Trust and Imperial College London. The report said flexibility should be embedded into all sectors of the energy system – power, heat and transport – to reduce the impact and cost of their decarbonisation.
News

Green transport

She’s electric, can I be electric too?
Utilities consultancy Reson8 explores how to reduce carbon emissions by 12 per cent from commercial vehicles by making scheduling more efficient. This could cut the fuel needed for journeys to save time, money and carbon.
Opinion
EV charging ‘superhub’ to open in Oxford
A new electric vehicle (EV) charging superhub is set to open in Oxford later this year. The project, which  will initially consist of 38 fast and ultra-rapid chargers, will provide up to 10MW of power on site and will scale up to meet the need for EV charging in the area over the next three decades.
News
Energy sector ‘requires deep digitalisation’
A taskforce has been launched to accelerate the digitalisation of the energy system. The Energy Digitalisation Taskforce is the successor to the Energy Data Taskforce and will once again be chaired by Laura Sandys.
News

Heat

Enhanced flexibility could save up to £16.7bn per year by 2050
Greater flexibility could cut energy system costs by £16.7 billion per year by 2050, according to new research from the Carbon Trust and Imperial College London. The report said flexibility should be embedded into all sectors of the energy system – power, heat and transport – to reduce the impact and cost of their decarbonisation.
News
Concerns raised over ‘headlong rush’ to air-source heat pumps
An official for Cambridge City Council has raised concerns over a “headlong rush” towards air-source heat pumps, saying there are “lots of problems” with the technology, particularly within urban areas. Environmental quality and growth manager Jo Dicks made the comments during a discussion of retrofitting as part of Utility Week’s Future of Heat conference.
News

Smart meters

Reshaping the energy system for the smart generation
The energy sector is seeing a rapid evolution of customer journeys and channels, with consumer expectations growing all the time. But are the energy market and the systems changing fast enough to meet these needs? This new white paper from Coeus Consulting considers some of the key challenges facing technology leaders across the energy sector and their wider significance.
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The local push to build smart communities
Local authorities are facing the dual pressures of boosting investment and decreasing emissions. However, these goals are not mutually exclusive. As part of our Countdown to COP series, SSE’s Stephen Stead looks at how forward-thinking councils are seeking to use the post-Covid economic recovery to modernise their energy infrastructure.
Opinion
Bulb to install 30,000 free smart thermostats
Energy retailer Bulb has outlined plans to offer low-income or vulnerable customers a free smart thermostat. The company will trial the free fittings of Google Nest Thermostat E devices in 2,000 West Midlands homes and, if successful, will expand it to 30,000 properties across the UK.
News
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