Customers should embrace latest innovations in energy use monitoring
THE Scottish Government’s Paul Wheelhouse had stressed that there will have to be changes to our electricity and gas networks and that choices regarding energy will be more flexible than in the past, with the development of carbon capture and storage technologies driven by technological innovation, smarter networks and the growth of the digital economy.
Paul Eggleton, director of Low Carbon Scotland platinum partner Mitie Energy, the UK’S largest facilities management company took up the digital theme and highlighted that in addition to achieving sustainability goals, digital solutions could also significantly enhance business performance.
He pointed to the importance of analytics, helping customers understand where and when they were using energy through remote monitoring. The Mitie Connected Workspace
(MCW) he said is a platform of inter-connected products and services with data at the core which is produced by apps, sensors and other sources and is analysed and interpreted – and over time is able to both predict problems before they arise and highlight opportunities in advance.
He pointed to a customer who needed to grow and operate in a sustainable way and required an analyticalbased solution to reduce utility costs and enhance comfort. “The buildings were connected and optimised via our Remote Operating Centre, resulting in savings of £307,000 in the first 15 months and Mitie implemented solutions that saved this customer around £5 million in five years.”
Frank Mitchell, the CEO of SP Energy Networks told the conference: “The electricity grid is changing – and customer behaviours are changing with it”. He highlighted the Green Economy Fund that Scottishpower launched in March. SP Energy Networks is teaming up with the Scottish Government, Energy Regulator Ofgem and independent academic advisers to fund initiatives focused on decarbonisation of transport and heating in Scotland that can also promote economic growth. The company has pledged to contribute up to £15m over the next two years.
Mitchell said: “This is a call out to communities and businesses to come forward with their own ambitious plans that support Scotland’s low carbon future and create jobs in our communities”.
The priorities of the fund include: supporting the uptake and infrastructure provision of electric vehicles; providing local solutions to match generation and demand; tackling fuel poverty and targeting vulnerable customers and the creation of low carbon jobs. “This isn’t just about a green project but creating and accelerating a green economy,” he concluded.