8-9 March 2022 | The Guoman Tower Hotel | London
Setting out a smarter route to net zero for energy retail, grids and metering
Future of Utilities is uniting the brightest minds in energy retail to set out a smarter future for networks, customer experience, operations and business strategies.
With the sector reeling from a global energy crisis and still building back from the pandemic, the route to Net Zero has never been more complex. Now is the time to rewrite your strategies, restructure transformation agendas and reset the short-term milestones needed to get to 2050 with network flexibility, digitalised CX, smart meters, customer engagement and EV product offerings.
“Smart Energy is the must-attend event for utilities. Excellent speakers – informative and entertaining, and really addressing the key topics”
Rebecca Dibb-Simkin
Chief Product Officer, Octopus Energy
Speakers
Greg Jackson
Chief Executive Officer, Octopus Energy
Phil Jones
President & Chief Executive Officer, Northern Powergrid
Chris Lovatt
Chief Operating Officer – Energy Infrastructure Services, E.ON UK
Lauren Lewis
Director of Business Change and Transformation, OVO Energy
Chris Stark
Chief Executive Officer, Committee on Climate Change
Rebecca Sedler
Director of Policy & Regulation, EDF Energy
Suleman Alli
Director of Customer Service, Strategy, Regulation and Information Systems, UK Power Networks
Poppy Mills
UK Director, Ubitricity
Experience Everything
Collaborate throughout disruption
Reflect, discuss and set out solutions with other innovators while assessing the impact of the recent price crisis and the milestones needed to reach Net Zero.
Expand your network
Nothing beats face-to-face connections, so take the time to make meaningful connections that will drive your transformation agenda.
Be inspired by the experts
Let new strategies be formed before you in thought-provoking panel discussions and hear the latest strategic direction from industry-leading CEOs.
Hot Topics
Rethinking Net Zero
From Net Zero behaviour changes and the impact of the energy crisis and the profitability question, hear the experts share their thoughts on the future of the utility-customer relationship.
Smart meters and smart tariffs
Rethink strategies for targeting hard to reach people and properties and work towards a more data-driven future for smart meters and tariff structures.
Accelerating network flexibility
Explore the next steps for grid digitalisation, what skills may be needed to fuel this change and how the transition from network to service operator is laying the foundations for a more complex and greener energy future.
Decarbonising transport and heat
Requiring huge transformation across industries and sectors, hear what energy experts have to say, including where innovation is most needed and how to bring the customer with you on this change.
Green skills, strategies and operations
With Net Zero on the horizon and the massive impact of digitalisation, Brexit and the pandemic still playing out, hear how you can rethink strategies to deliver the long-term skills and jobs needed across the sector.
Engaging the customer in net zero
How do you bring the customer with you on the monumental journey ahead and ensure a just and fair transition for all? Hear how experts from across the sector are tackling these critical issues and more.
“Future of Utilities Smart Energy conference brought together senior influencers and decision makers across the utility space to discuss how technology is transforming energy. The combination of insightful speakers with real-world experience and an engaged, knowledgeable audience created opportunities for valuable conversations and networking. I look forward to participating again in future.”
David Hill
Commercial Director, Open Engergi
Plan your day
Check out our agenda, plan ahead to cram as much killer content as possible
Day 1
Tuesday, 8 March 2022
8 Mar
Day 2
Wednesday, 9 March 2022
9 Mar
Welcome address and chair's opening remarks
Thriving in a disrupted energy future
Keynote
Transforming the utility-customer relationship in the face of market disruption
The pressures of the recent energy price crisis have been felt in all corners of the sector, most particularly in customer perceptions of energy supply and the financial implications for suppliers. Looking out on the huge customer behaviour change and business transformation needed to reach Net Zero, suppliers are faced with the challenge of maintaining a competitive customer proposition while also grappling with the pressure to be as cost-effective as possible. Greg will share Octopus’s experiences of supporting customers through the recent crisis and it’s vision to become a trusted partner for customers’ green transition through clear communication strategies and the development of new tariffs, products and services.
Greg Jackson
Chief Executive Officer
Octopus Energy
Keynote
Navigating a more complex energy ecosystem: assessing progress and next steps for the DSO transition
Driving performance, efficiency and flexibility from the network to ensure it can meet future energy demands of all types of customers at lower cost is the central ethos of Northern Powergrid’s DSO transition strategy. Phil will share Northern Powergrid’s vision for grid digitalisation in the coming decade, with the EV uptake set to accelerate and more localised micro-generation adding an extra layer of complexity to the energy system.
Phil Jones
President & Chief Executive Officer
Northern Powergrid
Panel discussion
From the supply crisis and market disruption to Net Zero: supporting customers during the transition
- What will be the long-term impact of the recent disruption to the market and spike in energy prices?
- Prioritising milestones for long-term change: how can organisations ensure progress continues despite short-term disruption?
- Assessing the impact on the customer: what extra support might be needed and how can this fit into the broader support needed to ensure a just and fair green transition?
- Disruption, decentralisation, digitalisation and decarbonisation: exploring the challenges of navigating an increasingly complex energy ecosystem
- Preparing for the coming EV boom: where do the most pressing challenges lie and what should be key priorities?
- Tackling the heat challenge: balancing the need to innovate at pace, support the customer and avoid stranded assets
- Regulation, policy, industry codes: how might governance and support need to adapt to support the industry through the price crisis and future change?
Greg Jackson
Chief Executive Officer
Octopus Energy
Phil Jones
President & Chief Executive Officer
Northern Powergrid
Rebecca Sedler
Director of Policy & Regulation
EDF Energy
Refreshment break
Blue Stage: Serving changing customer groups with speed and care
Panel discussion
Seamless, inclusive, personalised: embedding value at every turn of the customer journey
- Assessing evolving customer needs and wants: how far has the recent price crisis changed customer expectations for CX?
- Scaling omnichannel services at speed: how can companies support future change by optimising their data strategy?
- Onboarding, billing, queries: where have the benefits of automation been felt most keenly by customer and organisation?
- Leveraging automation for cost-saving and adding real value for the customer: how can this be done well?
- How is automation most useful in enabling services to scale-up fast in times of high pressure?
- Making CX innovation as inclusive as possible: what more could be done
- Towards a more nuanced approach to serving vulnerabilities: how to achieve a thorough oversight of these customer groups, their specific needs and service preferences?
- Putting data to use to personalise the experience: a key driving force to ensure loyalty and improve customer trust in the face of the green transition?
Adam Firbank
Journey Practice Lead Customer Communications
British Gas
Ian Curran
Head of Customer Operations
Budget Energy
Markel Palmstierna – So Energy
Director of Customer Operations
So Energy
Red Stage: Tackling the next wave of network digitalisation and smart innovation
Panel discussion
From management to maintenance and beyond: towards a network-wide digital view
- How could networks help in managing current and future supply problems in the industry and how might this impact transformation agendas?
- What updates do core IT systems need before further transformation can be put into action?
- Making the most of network data: developing data engineering expertise and extending advanced analytics capabilities
- How might the development of more predictive maintenance models bring about tech challenges and operational opportunities?
- How might the control centre and workforce need to adapt as part of this transformation?
- Anticipating changes to industry governance: what might need to change to support an increasingly digitalised energy network?
- Funding for innovation, collaborative endeavours or policy cues: how can the industry improve its ability to innovate at pace?
Eric Brown
Chief Technology Officer
Energy Systems Catapult
Kerry-Anne Harrison
Head of Change Delivery
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks
Case study
An update from the Energy Digitalisation Taskforce (EDiT): key outcomes and next steps
Launched by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in partnership with Ofgem and Innovate UK, this new taskforce aims to continue the Government’s focus on modernising the energy system. Chair of the taskforce, Laura, will share how EDiT is examining the market design, digital architecture and governance of a modern digitalised energy system.
Laura Sandys
Chair
Energy Digitalisation Taskforce
Lunch
Blue Stage: Developing cutting-edge service offerings alongside tariff innovation
Fireside chat
Creating compelling propositions for the customer
- What does a compelling proposition look like for customers, post-energy-crisis?
- How can companies ensure that new products and services are customer-centric and truly value-add?
- Evolving lifestyle and home energy management trends on the road to net zero: what new kinds of products and services might this bring about
- Maximising the value of existing interactions: how can extra products and services be offered at convenient points in the customer journey?
- Communicating change: how can companies ensure that the message is concise, cohesive and aligns with deliverability?
Elvin Nagamootoo
Head of Product - Energy
Shell Energy Retail
Case study
Smart tariffs in action: assessing the impact on customer behaviours
With electricity priced at two different rates for peak and off-peak times, Bulb’s new smart tariff is aiming to help customers become more efficient in their energy consumption. Lessons learned from beta testing will help shape the way Bulb develops future product offerings and customer messaging to play their part in the green transition. Our speaker will talk us through these lessons learned and how Bulb plans to utilise its findings.
Kit Fitton
Senior Product Manager
Bulb
Panel discussion
Mapping out the next wave of change for energy tariffs
- Assessing the impact of the recent price crisis: how have customers expectations for tariffs and bills evolved?
- How can suppliers continue to offer appealing tariff propositions despite the pressure of high wholesale energy prices?
- Customer messaging for green tariffs: are companies currently hitting the right notes and what could be changed to encourage uptake?
- Looking towards a more dynamic and complex future for bills: what level of information do customers need to know and how is this best presented
- Taking EV tariffs mainstream: how can companies create a compelling proposition for all types of customer?
- From multi-site challenges to serving electric fleets: what added challenges do non-domestic customers pose for suppliers?
- Exploring new options for payments and their potential to reduce friction for customers and reduce operational costs for suppliers
- Whether it’s product development and or tariff innovation: how can companies ensure affordability and inclusion are championed at every stage of this journey?
Chris Carberry
Smart Solutions Director
Scottish Power
Rachel Mills
Senior Policy Researcher
Citizens Advice
Charlie Cook
Founder
Rightcharge
Red Stage: Making the leap to true grid flexibility: next steps for the sector
Panel discussion
Becoming a service operator in a smart world: next steps for big change
- Unlocking the power of a flexible energy system: how have recent events shown that this is more important than ever?
- Assessing recent and future transformation milestones for grid digitalisation
- Mapping out the network: how can different data sources be coherently compiled to create a holistic overview of supply and demand
- Coping with increasing amounts of distributed generation: what challenges will this present to the grid?
- Maximising the value of customer flexibility: strategies for engaging with the customer and getting necessary tech in place
- Digging into customer engagement: assessing the role of different industry players and who should be leading the way?
- What market developments might be needed to help the industry cope with increasing intermittency?
Ben Godfrey
Network Strategy Team Manager
Western Power Distribution
Sotiris Georgiopoulos
Head of Smart Grid Development
UK Power Networks
Amy Weltevreden – National Grid ESO
Structuring & Optimisation Manager
National Grid ESO
Fireside chat
Navigating the cybersecurity challenge: keeping pace with grid digitalisation
- Protecting data, operational processes and functions: where do the key risk areas lie?
- Coping with an increasingly complicated market from the growth in distributed resources: how might existing strategies need to be scaled up or adapted?
- Keeping pace with rules and regulations to continue achieving and retaining compliance: how might this process become more complex with increased digitalisation?
Jon Wells
Chair
OSGP Alliance
Refreshment break
Blue Stage: Towards a data-driven future for smart meter innovation
Interview
Preparing for retail market-wide half-hourly settlements
- Preparing for big change: where should transformation efforts be focused in coming years?
- Coping with the data boom: overcoming challenges of integrating data with existing CMS and billing platforms
- From time of use tariffs to EV charging: towards a data-led approach to steering consumption
- What can the domestic market learn from half-hourly settlement success with I&C customers?
Elizabeth Allkins
Head of Policy Analytics
OVO Energy
Mark Meyerick
Head of Smart Grids and PPAs
Ecotricity
Panel discussion
From the final mile of the rollout to the coming data explosion: assessing the next steps for smart meters
- Getting meters on the last few walls: what special strategies might be needed for hard-to-reach people and properties?
- How has the recent energy price crisis impacted the rollout?
- How could policy or legislation provide the industry extra support to meet the 2025 target?
- Developing a cohesive comms strategy across the industry: how can existing messages be adapted to drive the next stage of smart meter engagement?
- Coping with higher volumes of smart meter data: what key challenges will arise from this and what are the possible solutions?
- Encouraging customer engagement in energy efficiency: putting smart meter data to use to create more accurate bills and develop tariffs
- Towards grid flexibility: next steps for visualising, controlling and eventually optimising energy usage in the home
- Data privacy concerns in the smart home future: what might energy companies need to consider?
Chris Barlow
Innovation Director
DCC
Red Stage: Interopability, reliability, affordability: priorities for the EV boom
Keynote
Uniting the energy and automotive industries on the road to electric vehicles: key outcomes from 2035 delivery plan
With all new cars and vans required to be fully zero emission at the tailpipe by 2035, the Office of Zero Emission Vehicles have set out a series of investment and policy initiatives and milestones to help meet this ambitious phase out date. From how to increase supply for increasing demand to how to map out pathways to realise key commitments, Kate will share the key principals of the plan and what the next steps should be for the energy sector.
Katie Black
Head of Office for Zero Emission Vehicles
Department for Transport
Panel discussion
From network development to customer support: meeting the coming surge in demand amongst market disruption
- The journey to 2030: envisioning the trajectory for EV uptake and whether network digitalisation and capacity efforts are aligned with this pace of change
- From the petrol shortage to high energy prices: what impact will the energy crisis have on that roadmap?
- How can collaboration be improved with industry and non-industry players to ensure a thorough transition across the country?
- Coping with the expansion of home chargers and commercial charging infrastructure: what changes to the system may be needed?
- How can network operators ensure that there is sufficient grid capacity across different connection points?
- What tariff innovation may be needed as technology advances, demand increases and perhaps as wholesale energy prices remain higher than usual?
- What new products or services could be developed to make the transition more affordable and inclusive to all types of customer?
- What new kind of support could be provided by regulation and policy to support the industry and enable future change to be actioned with greater speed?
Dr Russell Fowler
Senior Project Manager, Decarbonisation of Transport
National Grid
Poppy Mills
UK Director
Ubitricity
End of day and drinks reception
Chair's opening remarks
Customer engagement and the Net Zero journey
Keynote
Inside from the Sixth Carbon Budget: key takeaways for the energy sector
Outlining the year-by-year pathway to achieving Net Zero by 2050, the Sixth Carbon Budget sets out measures based on data-driven future scenarios and the policies required to meet them. From renewable generation and flexible supply to improving energy efficiencies in the built environment and the future of heat, the challenges faced by the energy sector are monumental. Chris will draw on insights from the Budget to recommend key milestones and short-term advances needed for the sector to reach Net Zero.
Chris Stark
Chief Executive Officer
Committee on Climate Change
Panel discussion
Informing and supporting customers through the next wave of the green transition
- Assessing the impact of the energy price crisis on customer behaviours and perceptions: where will changes be felt?
- How will this impact the way the sector brings about the customer behaviour changes needed to reach Net Zero?
- Ensuring a fair transition for all: how have recent events influenced the messaging needed around the cost to achieve Net Zero?
- What might a ‘fair’ cost of achieving Net Zero look like for different customer groups and how can this be integrated into billing, services and product offerings in light of the recent price crisis?
- What lessons can be learned from the non-domestic market in engaging customers and encouraging behavioural change
- How can companies ensure fairness and affordability are championed at every stage of the new customer-supplier relationship?
- From self-regulation to collaboration with non-industry players: what further support might the industry need in order to maintain this level of service offering for customers?
Chris Lovatt
Chief Operating Officer – Energy Infrastructure Services
E.ON UK
Lauren Lewis
Director of Business Change and Transformation
OVO Energy
Suleman Alli
Director of Customer Service, Strategy, Regulation and Information Systems
UK Power Networks
Refreshment break
Championing a thriving innovation culture across the industry
Lunch
Blue Stage: Tackling the heat challenge
Keynote
Assessing the industries next steps for achieving Net Zero
With ambitious targets on the horizon, decarbonising heat will be a monumental challenge for the industry. This battle, set to be fought at both a national and local level, will bring about new pressures for players across the sector. Key challenges include how to work closer with community groups to leverage the opportunity of delivery on a local level, how to ensure sufficient financing is in place for both the industry and end-user and how to get the customer engaged in the journey ahead. Join Martin Freer as he shares some key insights and potential solutions for these challenges from a recent policy commission, held in partnership with the CBI.
Professor Martin Freer
Director of the Birmingham Energy Institute
University of Birmingham
Panel discussion
From hydrogen and heat pumps to the built environment: navigating the next decade of change
- How have recent market trends and policy signals informed industry priorities?
- Assessing recent and ongoing trials: how are different parts of the industry exploring this future and what early results are they showing?
- Transforming the gas networks: balancing the need to be hydrogen-ready with the need to avoid stranded assets in the future
- From increased capacity and connection points to regional variation: what developments are needed on the grid to prepare for the widespread uptake of heat pumps?
- Overcoming challenges of the built environment: what different strategies are needed to reach different kinds of home?
- Ensuring affordability for all types of customers: what will this look like and how can suppliers ensure minimal disruption?
- How important will cross-industry collaboration be to ensure that each customer has the right solution for them?
Paul Frainer
Assistant Director Strategy and Economy
Cambridge City Council
Andrew Musgrave
Head of Network Strategy
SGN
Wouter Thijssen
Group Strategy Manager
National Grid
Red Stage: Innovation Hub
Case study
Power Networks Demonstration Centre
Established in 2013, the Power Networks Demonstration Centre (PNDC) is at the forefront of delivering research and facilitating the acceleration of innovation to address future increasing demand in the whole energy systems space. Join Richard as he gives an insight into the Centre’s research on the requirement to de-risk and validate new systems and what technologies may be most critical to facilitating future innovation activity in whole energy systems.
Richard Knight
Director of Strategy and Technology
PNDC at the University of Strathclyde
Refreshment break
A new era for operations and the workforce
Panel discussion
From post-pandemic working trends to green skills and jobs: leveraging an evolving workforce on the road to Net Zero
- A post-pandemic and digitalised workforce: what long-term working trends are emerging in energy?
- Factoring in other national or international trends for the future of work: what impact will these have on the energy workforce?
- How can automation be successfully deployed to bring maximum benefit to the employees, teams and organisations?
- How can the sector keep pace with the need for green jobs and skills and leverage their development of this as part of the transition?
- Leveraging recruitment and reskilling existing staff to unlock new opportunities across the business: how can this be done well?
- Towards a more diverse future for the industry: what initiatives can help and what advantages could this bring the sector?
- Operational optimisation and becoming a greener business: how can developments to the workforce come together to create a more resilient and agile business?
Fran Woodward
Director of People and Operations
Good Energy
Rachael Parr
Human Resources Director
Electricity North West
Amanda Drugnick
People Director
So Energy
End of conference
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“A really interesting conference covering a hugely diverse topic – with fantastic networking opportunities”
Who Attends
We have some of the industries leaders attending this years event!
Sponsorship Opportunities
Thought Leadership
Taking part in a fireside chat, fielding a pundit or participating in a panel discussion alongside industry leaders are just some of the thought-leadership opportunities for you to showcase your insight and expertise.
Branding Awareness
You want to ensure your brand is front of mind with senior players in the utilities world. Using multiple channels across Future of Utilities, we have the megaphone to tell your story and increase visibility of your brand.
Lead Generations
We get industry leaders, you form lasting connections with those who have genuine buying power. From 1-2-1 meetings via a VIP concierge, to bespoke roundtables, the opportunities are endless.
