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Can we power cities sustainably?
Day and night, cities consume the majority of our energy. From always-on buildings to electric vehicles, cities require a smarter and ‘whole systems thinking’ approach to energy generation, storage and use.
Effective urban energy requires solutions that are a combination of affordable, digital, resilient, local, innovative and forward-looking. It means addressing local governance issues, embracing the digital era, considering lower carbon sources like hydrogen, and using alternative funding options in order to provide sustainable, and affordable infrastructure that can power our city lives.
- 2MW battery storage concept designed by Arup in California
- £25m study for hydrogen potential in the UK acting as programme manager
- 42 issues developed into an interactive tool for the World Energy Council
Rethinking generation and distribution
We apply skills and expertise taken from areas such as Renewable energy, and apply them to urban energy programmes to obtain smarter, sustainable and long term outcomes. Find out how we reduced operating costs by 35% for a whole district in Hong Kong.
We work with city leaders and energy operators to rethink generation and distribution whilst helping commercial organisations to take control of their energy needs:
Flexibility and diversity
Expanding use of renewables including rooftop solar has brought the cost of the technology down and allowed it to be more accessible. Most buildings can use the available space they have to become a ‘prosumer’- earning money from its contribution back to the wider energy grid. We help energy operators, distributors and policy makers alike build more flexible and sophisticated energy networks ready for a new generation of urban consumers. Learn more about how the way cities produce and consume power is changing.
The transactive energy era
A more complex mix of traditional energy sources and growing renewable capacity, requires a more flexible means of distribution, one that can adjust to real-time changes in demand with reliable, affordable power. This new approach is called transactive energy, where instead of a single grid, many different players contribute, consume and earn in a dynamic market model that blurs the lines between producers, distributors and consumers.
Shaping the future of energy
The next few decades are expected to be among the most transformative the energy industry has ever seen with billions being invested to ensure the system is fit for the future. By 2035 we envisage a world with a much more diverse range of heating sources, with significantly lower emissions, and where all new vehicles are electric. We’re working with clients across the energy market to ensure they are future-proof, from new business models to upgraded infrastructure.
A resilient supply for rising demand
We’re working with clients to optimise transmission and distribution, whilst working towards a balanced and reliable energy system including microgrids, smart storage solutions, heat networks and hydrogen.
