CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Navigant (NYSE: NCI) today released Energy Cloud 4.0, a white paper detailing how energy stakeholders can capture business value through the emergence of dynamic, high-growth, customer-centric platforms.

The energy sector is in the midst of a major global transformation, fueled by efforts to decarbonize the economy and address climate change, and a broad shift toward an increasingly clean, distributed, intelligent, and mobile energy ecosystem. According to the white paper, central to this transformation is the Energy Cloud, a network of networks that leverages emerging technologies and innovative business models to provide new customer value in the form of energy and non-energy products and services.

“Energy Cloud platforms sit at the confluence of rapidly changing customer demands and highly disruptive technology,” says Jan Vrins, managing director and leader of Navigant’s global Energy practice. “These emerging Energy Cloud platforms have the potential to scale faster and yield greater profit margins than the traditional asset-focused and supply models that dominate the industry today, and offer the potential to offset flat or declining load growth.”

According to the white paper, seven key Energy Cloud platforms can help today’s industry leaders capture customer and shareholder value and accelerate the energy transformation: integrated distributed energy resources (iDER), Transportation2Grid, Building2Grid, Internet of Energy, Transactive Energy, Smart Cities, and the Neural Grid.

Unlocking value beyond the electron, these Energy Cloud platforms are expected to divert a growing share of revenue and power flow away from centralized energy production and bulk transmission. By leveraging innovative technologies, an increased demand for new energy products and services, and viable business models, these platforms will support a more sustainable, highly digitized, and dynamic energy system, impacting all aspects of the energy value chain.

To succeed in tomorrow’s Energy Cloud environment, the white paper recommends energy companies and utilities prioritize these objectives in the short term:

• Move rapidly to the energy systems of the future — the time is now.
• Grasp market opportunities derived from increasing consumer demand for new energy products and services.
• Maximize the business benefits offered by Energy Cloud platforms and the digitization of the energy system.

“Energy companies and utilities need to be proactive in responding to changing market pressures and increasingly agile in adopting innovative new business models,” says Mackinnon Lawrence, director at Navigant. “Although policy and regulatory reform is an important driver of transformation, customer choice and technology innovation are relentless instigators of disruption. These forces are critical in understanding the Energy Cloud transformation.”

Navigant has been at the forefront of the Energy Cloud transformation since developing its framework four years ago. Since then, we have continued to evolve our perspective as the industry transforms to help clients take advantage of new opportunities and capture value. For more recommendations, download the full white paper. Join the social media conversation through #EnergyCloud and #FutureUtility.

With over 600 consultants, Navigant’s global Energy practice is the largest energy management consulting team in the industry. We collaborate with utilities, government and NGOs, industries and large corporations, product manufacturers, investors, and oil & gas companies to help them thrive in a rapidly changing energy environment. Our clients include the world’s 50 largest electric, water, and gas utilities; the 20 largest independent power generators; and the 20 largest gas distribution and pipeline companies. Navigant’s seasoned professionals and highly skilled specialists form exceptional teams to help clients transform their businesses, manage complexity and accelerate operational performance, meet compliance requirements, and transform systems and governance to address upcoming changes as the energy transformation takes hold.

About Navigant

Navigant Consulting, Inc. (NYSE: NCI) is a specialized, global professional services firm that helps clients take control of their future. Navigant’s professionals apply deep industry knowledge, substantive technical expertise, and an enterprising approach to help clients build, manage, and/or protect their business interests. With a focus on markets and clients facing transformational change and significant regulatory or legal pressures, the firm primarily serves clients in the healthcare, energy, and financial services industries. Across a range of advisory, consulting, outsourcing, and technology/analytics services, Navigant’s practitioners bring sharp insight that pinpoints opportunities and delivers powerful results. More information about Navigant can be found at navigant.com.

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