Energy Consulting

Energy consulting is the transfer of knowledge and skills to support the delivery of projects and initiatives across the diverse elements of the energy industry. Energy businesses differ greatly, and the entire industry is changing rapidly. Therefore, a dedicated change expert in the form of an energy consultant can provide critical support to a programme.

The role of an energy consultant will vary greatly from project to project and client to client. Effective energy consultants are experienced in change across the many unique elements of the energy industry, and they are therefore excellently placed to guide leaders through many types of project, from technology implementation to regulatory change and decarbonisation.

When it comes to implementing any kind of change, its leaders will often focus on the technical aspects of delivery, for example technologies, processes and systems. Often, the people who actually need to embrace and adopt this change in order for it to work are overlooked. An energy consultant can address this by putting people at the heart of the change, taking a holistic view across the organisation to ensure teams are connected and engaged.

The energy industry is undergoing a significant amount of transformation. It is highly influenced by external market and geopolitical factors, of which there have been many in recent years. In addition, there is a wider societal transition to green energy, and organisations must embrace this to remain relevant and competitive for the long term. On a more individual level, companies must also adopt new tools and technologies in order to remain competitive and futureproof.

Energy organisations are large and complex, often with deep infrastructure and rich histories of working in very specific ways. Their people are accustomed to these ways of working, and therefore it can be challenging to make them see the bigger picture of transformation and shift their mindsets to embrace the new state. Because change is so pivotal to the long-term survival of many energy businesses, utilising a change specialist can save time and expense and ensure the benefits of change are fully realised.

The transformation required of energy companies as part of the global energy transition will impact all of their people, and therefore their people must be connected, not siloed, in order for any change to stick. This is not easy to do, and therefore a dedicated change specialist can provide significant value by taking a holistic view of your change and organisation, identifying ways to connect the dots between teams and functions in order to unite them on the change journey.

The drive to net zero is impacting energy companies more than in any other sector. Many companies have long histories of working in particular ways and complex infrastructures, meaning it requires major transformation to transition to net zero. However, this is not optional for many companies, as those who embrace the energy transition are more likely to satisfy regulatory, governmental and consumer demands and therefore outperform their competition.

Regulation in the energy industry is heavily focused on achieving a drive to net zero and clean energy. In addition, changing consumer rights and expectations are forcing further regulatory changes. Utility companies must respond to this in order to remain compliant and avoid major penalties. This requires a proactive approach to impending regulatory change, something organisations without strong change maturity or a trust change partner might struggle to accomplish at pace.

Many roles in energy companies are highly specialised, so it is difficult to attract, develop and retain key performers. Additionally, many energy companies are struggling to attract newer generations of the workforce, and they therefore need to embrace the energy transition to appeal to this new demographic and ensure their long-term success.