Atlanta, GA, April 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- April 14, 2020
ScottMadden, Inc., one of North America’s leading management consulting firms specializing in energy, will soon release its spring 2020 issue of the ScottMadden Energy Industry Update. For more than a decade, the Energy Industry Update has served as a catalyst for strategic discussion, debate, and decisions. More than 10,000 executive leaders rely on it for the most important trends and thought-provoking insights.
Themed, “The Energy Industry Update: Take It to the Limit,” ScottMadden’s upcoming report will share some of the latest industry trends related to:
- 100% clean energy and net zero emissions goals
- Power transmission and resilience
- Issues affecting the future of the gas utility
The report will also examine gas resource plans in light of environmental and efficiency objectives, share some lessons learned about a renewables-heavy grid from a recent trip to Hawaii, and explore recent FERC policy changes to power transmission equity returns.
So, how does the current state of the energy industry relate to one of the Eagles’ greatest hits and the energy industry? Factors such as the state-by-state advances in clean energy and net zero emissions standards, proposed moratoria and restrictions on natural gas connections, slow progress on resilience issues, and more may take the utility industry to its limit of financial, regulatory, and operational wherewithal. New and potential technologies, like hydrogen, may challenge the limits of what is possible. And, all of this was happening before COVID-19 hit.
Globally, a number of jurisdictions, corporations, and utilities are committing to clean energy goals. Goals such as 100% clean energy and net carbon could radically shift the energy mix in a few decades. But there are some fundamental questions to be answered. What does “clean” or “net zero” mean? What technology is needed? What might it cost to make these goals a reality? And what does this mean for the grid?
Resilience challenges can push power systems to their limit. Resilience—the ability to recover from major events, such as a hurricane or large cyber event—continues to be a focus for utilities. But definitions, objectives, planning processes, and cost-recovery mechanisms continue to be debated. This report frames considerations for balancing utility versus other infrastructure—government or non-utility—and “where the line should be” between those investments.
“We had decided on the theme of this EIU, ‘Take it to the Limit,’ before COVID-19 changed everything. And, now it is even more true—everything in this industry will be ‘taken to the limit’ through these times. So, this EIU focuses on what we see as critical issues, made more so by the fluid world in which we are living today,” says Cristin Lyons, partner and energy practice leader at ScottMadden.
To receive your copy of this complimentary report, subscribe here, or to download the prior issue, click here. An advance copy of the Update will be available to the media prior to the release date. For more details, please contact us.
About ScottMadden’s Energy Practice
We know energy from the ground up. Since 1983, we have served as energy consultants for hundreds of utilities, large and small, including all of the top 20. We focus on Transmission & Distribution, the Grid Edge, Generation, Energy Markets, Rates & Regulation, Enterprise Sustainability, and Corporate Services. Our broad, deep utility expertise is not theoretical—it is experience based. We have helped our clients develop and implement strategies, improve critical operations, reorganize departments and entire companies, and implement myriad initiatives.
About ScottMadden, Inc.
ScottMadden is the management consulting firm that does what it takes to get it done right. We consult in two main areas—Energy and Corporate & Shared Services. We deliver a broad array of consulting services ranging from strategic planning through implementation across many industries, business units, and functions. To learn more, visit www.scottmadden.com | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn.