Smart Strategies for 2025 & Beyond.

With January well and truly behind us, I’m looking ahead to what the rest of 2025 has in store – and it won’t surprise you to learn that means lots of large scale change!

A common theme across all the sectors we work in is organisations putting more focus on how they deliver transformational change in a way that realises the expected benefits and minimises operational disruption.?

To overcome these challenges organisations need to take a more holistic approach to change putting as much focus on people, processes and data as they do on technology.?

As the Cross 8 Partner leading the utilities engagements, there are two era-defining changes set to reshape the way utilities operate and impact everyone reading this, either as members of the industry or just as consumers.

Clean Power 2030 is a government driven plan to hit 95% renewable energy consumption by the end of 2030. It is a hugely ambitious programme with large scale infrastructure spend of circa ￡40 billion per year from 2025 to 2030.

But to think of this as an infrastructure problem – wind turbines, electricity towers, and pipelines – alone is wrong. Two key data programmes are essential to support this ambition: the ongoing smart meter rollout and the transition to mandatory half-hourly settlement under Elexon.

To hit the 2030 ambition, it's going to need:

• Real-time consumption data to ensure generation meets demand
• Greater market connectivity and clear market signals to flex demand to meet generation
• A 4x increase in how often customers flex their usage

Put simply, however much infrastructure we install, we won’t get to Clean Power 2030 without transforming the ability to provide accurate data to the right parties at the right time.

PR24 presents a huge opportunity for the water industry to invest in network resilience, leakage reduction, and wastewater treatment. But, just like in energy, success depends on having the right data and making sure it’s being used effectively.

• The installation of 14 million smart water meters will require complex rollout programmes and new communication technologies.
• Network modelling systems must be upgraded to handle the new data and optimise efficiency.
• Customer billing and service solutions (CRM) must be modernised to facilitate real-time data sharing.

Our work to implement metering and upgrade the roadside power management for a highways company is a great example of how to deliver transformational change in complex environments.?

Read our case study here.?

Our 4G Comms Hub article looked at a specific threat this upgrade programme could have to the smart meter rollout and examined how to ensure they are deployed successfully while minimising customer impact.

Read the article here.?

And finally, I’m pleased to announce that Cross 8 has joined Energy UK as an associate member.?

Cross 8 has deep roots in utilities and joining EUK?reflects our continuing commitment to driving innovation and helping transform the energy sector.?

If you would like to talk about anything covered above, just get in touch.?

Best Wishes,

Alex Atkins