The next gen grid: How utilities can provide value as they lose control

In this new landscape, energy leaders must have a plan for the unexpected and be comfortable giving up some of the control they’ve long held — over how they generate and deliver power, with whom they do business, and with whom they compete.

The development of the Next Gen grid will pose immense challenges for established energy companies. The energy transition will fundamentally alter the value chain for independent system operators and regional transmission organizations. And, before any engineering solutions can be successful, energy companies must change the way they view their businesses and will have to view the shifting energy landscape holistically. 

All of this means thinking ahead to potential regulatory outcomes, customer value propositions, Next Generation digital grid management systems, and other technologies that will ultimately power the grid in the not-so-distant future. Modern technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning (ML), and blockchain will play a vital role in the functioning of an energy ecosystem that is more flexible, efficient, sustainable, and resilient than the current linear system.

This white paper by Derrick Bowen explores the new node-to-node model, the required mindset shift for leaders, and the digital foundation of the Next Gen grid.