Reinventing the Electric Utility
With the advent of rooftop solar, energy storage, prosumers, mergers, regulatory pressures and other challenges, electric utilities are at a crossroads with evolving business models, changing consumer expectations, and regulatory changes. Skipping Stone surveyed industry professionals to provide insight into how the industry is reinventing itself to be successful in this new environment. The majority of survey participants, about 90%, were electric utilities (IOU, municipals, cooperatives, federal) with industry trade associations and solution providers making up the remainder. All U.S. regions and Canada were represented.
Participants overwhelmingly (92%) agreed utilities need to adapt their business model to ensure their future success. This presentation discusses the key findings of this survey, including top focus areas for new utility business models and factors influencing changing business models. Detailed results of the survey will be shared as part of the conference proceedings.
Speaker
Ross Malme
Partner
Skipping Stone
Ross is an Owner, Partner and Member of the Skipping Stone Board of Directors. Ross joined Skipping Stone in May of 2011 and leads Skipping Stone's Smart Grid and Demand Response Practice. This practice includes leading Skipping Stone's engagement with the US Green Building Council (USGBC) which is enabling LEED points for commercial buildings participating in wholesale and retail electricity demand response programs. With more than 25 years of experience in the energy services and technology business, Ross is recognized as an international leader in the development of new products and services to serve the energy industry.
Currently, Ross serves on the Board of Directors of the Technology Association of Georgia Smart Energy Society, is a member of the Executive Committee for the Retail Energy Quadrant (RXQ) Retail Gas Market Interests Segment of the North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB), and sits on the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee to the US Secretary of Commerce. He and his team are also active in the USTDA Reverse Trade Mission program, hosting energy executives from Europe, Asia and Latin America.
Prior to Skipping Stone, Ross was the Director of the Schneider Demand Response Resource Center (DRRC) developing demand response strategies for implementation by Schneider business units and country organizations. The DRRC also manages external relationships with electricity market operators, utilities, demand response aggregators and other strategic alliances. Ross was President, CEO and original founder of RETX, www.RETX.com, an Atlanta energy services and technology company, which was acquired by Schneider in 2008.
Ross was instrumental in the introduction of energy information products and services to liberalized markets in the USA and more recently served as Operating Agent for the International Energy Agency (IEA) Demand Side Management Programme running the Demand Response Resources project, which included Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the USA. The project has been heralded as the cornerstone for the introduction of demand side resources into liberalized electricity markets. In addition Ross was instrumental in the formation of the Smart Energy Demand Coalition (SEDC) which is the trade association for demand response in Europe.
With the advent of rooftop solar, energy storage, prosumers, mergers, regulatory pressures and other challenges, electric utilities are at a crossroads with evolving business models, changing consumer expectations, and regulatory changes. Skipping Stone surveyed industry professionals to provide insight into how the industry is reinventing itself to be successful in this new environment. The majority of survey participants, about 90%, were electric utilities (IOU, municipals, cooperatives, federal) with industry trade associations and solution providers making up the remainder. All U.S. regions and Canada were represented.
Participants overwhelmingly (92%) agreed utilities need to adapt their business model to ensure their future success. This presentation discusses the key findings of this survey, including top focus areas for new utility business models and factors influencing changing business models. Detailed results of the survey will be shared as part of the conference proceedings.
Speaker
Partner
Skipping Stone
Ross is an Owner, Partner and Member of the Skipping Stone Board of Directors. Ross joined Skipping Stone in May of 2011 and leads Skipping Stone's Smart Grid and Demand Response Practice. This practice includes leading Skipping Stone's engagement with the US Green Building Council (USGBC) which is enabling LEED points for commercial buildings participating in wholesale and retail electricity demand response programs. With more than 25 years of experience in the energy services and technology business, Ross is recognized as an international leader in the development of new products and services to serve the energy industry.
Currently, Ross serves on the Board of Directors of the Technology Association of Georgia Smart Energy Society, is a member of the Executive Committee for the Retail Energy Quadrant (RXQ) Retail Gas Market Interests Segment of the North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB), and sits on the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee to the US Secretary of Commerce. He and his team are also active in the USTDA Reverse Trade Mission program, hosting energy executives from Europe, Asia and Latin America.
Prior to Skipping Stone, Ross was the Director of the Schneider Demand Response Resource Center (DRRC) developing demand response strategies for implementation by Schneider business units and country organizations. The DRRC also manages external relationships with electricity market operators, utilities, demand response aggregators and other strategic alliances. Ross was President, CEO and original founder of RETX, www.RETX.com, an Atlanta energy services and technology company, which was acquired by Schneider in 2008.
Ross was instrumental in the introduction of energy information products and services to liberalized markets in the USA and more recently served as Operating Agent for the International Energy Agency (IEA) Demand Side Management Programme running the Demand Response Resources project, which included Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the USA. The project has been heralded as the cornerstone for the introduction of demand side resources into liberalized electricity markets. In addition Ross was instrumental in the formation of the Smart Energy Demand Coalition (SEDC) which is the trade association for demand response in Europe.