Page 49 - European Energy Innovation - spring 2018 publication
P. 49
Spring 2018 European Energy Innovation 49
ELECTRICAL POWER
they alter the DNA of utilities. Some years away in most cases, but warnings where millions of scooters are shifting
companies are already redefining their from TSOs and generators will amplify to electric. In 2018, this will reach the
identity from utility to tech company, in 2018. big brand name motorcycles. Harley
revamping their strategy, products and Davidson just announced an all-
business models fundamentally. There are several aspects to this. electric motor cycle in January.
Economic growth is picking up
Customers will see direct benefits from across Europe. This means more Buses: Another obvious segment
the digital revolution. More choice power consumption by customers for electrification due to predictable
and tailored products. New services who buy new gadgets and services, routes. Several cities in Europe will
in mobility, smart home control and industries who rush to serve the accelerate their shift to electric buses.
and decentralized energy system increased demand for their products.
management. Improved customer Maritime: Short-haul maritime is
journey. The list continues. At the same time, an increasing already seeing the beginning of a
amount of dispatchable capacity shift to electric. But electrification will
But action will be required to remove will decommission in the coming move beyond small ferries. Hybrid
regulatory barriers and unleash the full years. Platts expects that 60-70 GW solutions with electric elements will
potential of digitization. A hypothetical, of controllable plants will leave the find way into long-haul maritime
but realistic example: A Dutch utility market by 2025. transport as well.
has a large customer base in Germany,
but wants to centralise data operations Finally, grid constraints and continued Aviation: The wave of electric
and run their cloud from a datacentre restrictions to cross border flows will flight start-ups and pilot projects
in Denmark. Technically, moving add to the urgency around regional from 2017 will continue and trigger
digital customer profiles between two bottlenecks as demand for power concrete business plans and strategy
servers will require just a few clicks. increases. announcements in 2018. The first
But differences in data protection rules one already came in January from
could complicate such an operation NEW FRONTIERS OF Norwegian Avinor, which announced
immensely and hinder companies from ELECTRIFICATION all short-haul flights to go 100%
exploiting economies of scale. 2017 was the point of no return for electric by 2040.
electrification of passenger cars. In
SUPPLY-DEMAND IMBALANCES 2018, electricity will prove its potential Industry: Expect to see new
WILL INCREASE in areas we had not thought possible application of electric power for heavy
Whereas aggregate overcapacity even a few years back. industrial processes. Vattenfall just
will persist, regional bottlenecks and announced a pilot project for green
adequacy issues will get increased Two-wheelers: A quiet electric steel fuelled by hydrogen from fossil-
attention. Real urgency is two-three revolution has already begun in Asia free electricity. Others will follow. l
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