These are exciting times for technology professionals, particularly in the utilities and energy industries, where energy consumption paradigms are undergoing a pronounced shift.
Conversations have evolved, and customers are no longer purely seen as consumers but are instead discussed as prosumers and “flexumers” – engaged consumers who proactively balance consumption with generation and management of energy resources, allowing flexible capacity for the grid and contributing to the overall energy system. We all can appreciate that there is huge untapped potential for utilities to support as customers become prosumers, with those customers harnessing the ability to produce their own, individual energy. And imagine the possibility of advancing “prosumers” by turning them into “flexumers,” dedicating their energy to “energy communities” and thereby adding flexibility to the grid.
The industry is undergoing massive transformation, and the SAP Intelligent Enterprise Suite based on SAP S/4HANA is literally a core component of this change. SAP is keen to leverage insights from its senior customer leaders, both business and technology executives, to enhance energy transition, digitization, and digital transformation efforts. When so many are still working “outside” of the system, SAP asks what can be done better to doggedly move forward. What is the difference between a prosumer and “flexumer”? How does technology enable this capability? How does it impact the asset infrastructure?
As we all seek to achieve sustainability outcomes, assess what business transformation looks like among distributed energy resources, and improve energy supply resilience across various ecosystems, the SAP Advisory Customer Council for Utilities (ACCU) is one mechanism available to provide SAP utilities customers an influential voice with SAP to answer their burning questions.
The SAP ACCU provides insights into how SAP can help utilities companies do the following:
- Explore new revenue streams—turn customers into “prosumers” to “flexumers”
- Build customer intimacy and loyalty—understand our consumption at the lowest level, and provide new services to end-customers
- Secure our traditional business and leverage in parallel bext practice innovations
- Ensure we are compliant with regulations and with CO2 targets
- Focus on holistic security concepts
- Foster operational excellence by leveraging the right technologies to enable advanced maintenance strategies and seamless business operations
So, what’s in a name? Ask the question. Build the answer with SAP ACCU.
The SAP ACCU is a body of international SAP executives, advising on key business priorities, that meets quarterly, both in person and virtually. The ACCU is undergoing a significant strategic shift in customer engagement by recasting our mission, vision, membership, and objectives.
- The value of SAP ACCU is undisputed by SAP Management and all involved SAP departments
- The current SAP ACCU setup and working model were designed 15 years ago and need to be adjusted to reflect new realities at SAP and within participants’ companies
- Participants should play a more active part in the orchestration and conduction of all SAP ACCU activities
- Participants and SAP should agree on measurable KPIs to monitor and evaluate joint success to result in tangible outcomes for all participants
- The composition of SAP ACCU participants is being reevaluated to ensure appropriate representation of the most important segments, including simplification of our charter
To be a part of this engaging senior executive community and learn more, contact Shachella James, SAP ACCU Co-Chair, at shachella.james@centerpointenergy.com or Daniela Sellman, Global VP, Head of Utilities at SAP, at Daniela.sellman@sap.com.