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Microsoft for Energy: Digitizing the energy transition and transforming the net-zero journey

Security, resiliency, and sustainability continue to be at the top of the agenda as energy companies advance digital transformation to improve safety, performance, reduce costs, and manage risk. To help our customers and partners on their digitization and decarbonation journeys, the Microsoft Energy team is engaging with the global energy ecosystem on multiple levels. Here’s a snapshot of where we’ve been and some of the conferences and forums you can expect to see us in the coming months.

Microsoft at GridFWD and the IEEE PES T&D Conference: Digitizing, decarbonizing, and modernizing the grid

At GridForward’s sold-out conference last week—Keeping Pace with the Energy Transition—the Microsoft team participated in several discussions on grid innovation, cloud technology, and data analytics to address pressing issues related to decarbonization, policy, electrification, infrastructure, and how digital technology drives change.

  • John Lemmon, Global Power and Utilities Engineering Leader, moderated a panel on how to leverage cloud innovation and analytics for grid optimization to reduce carbon.
  • Hanna Grene, Director, Americas Power and Utilities, led a discussion on digital technologies to drive distributed markets where participants identified the top challenges and opportunities to enable distributed resources to play a larger role in grid decarbonization.
  • Alex Robart, Global General Manager, Sustainability, shared Microsoft’s sustainability journey and the Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability on a panel about cities paving the way toward 100 percent decarbonization.
  • Emily Watt, Director of Energy Markets, provided an update on Microsoft’s 100/100/0 vision and commitment to a decarbonized grid as well as benefits to an expanded western regional transmission organization.

After two days of engaging presentations and conversations, our team left the conference energized about the opportunities for the industry to work together to transform the grid. One key theme that re-emerged was the critical need for more industry collaboration and the power of public-private partnerships to achieve our collective zero carbon goals. There is a sense of urgency to act now, integrate more technologies, and develop new relationships to move the industry forward.

Microsoft also participated in the IEEE PES T&D Conference in New Orleans, sponsored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Power and Energy Society. Hanna Grene, Director, Americas Power and Utilities, joined a deep dive discussion on the challenges for big data and AI technology within the energy grid, exploring the integration of renewables, electrification, and technology roadmap for the future grid. Hanna also presented a keynote at the IEEE Innovative Smart Grid Technologies sharing her perspectives on how the sustainability commitments by Microsoft can accelerate wider grid decarbonization.  

Engage with Microsoft at upcoming energy innovation events

At the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, from May 2 to 5, 2022, energy leaders will exchange ideas and opinions to advance scientific and technical knowledge for offshore resources and environmental impact. Hany Soliman, Business Leader, Americas Energy Industry, will be speaking on a panel on empowering the energy industry through digital transformation, to share how Microsoft, its global partner ecosystem, and cloud technology are driving net-zero transformation together.

The IDC European Utilities Summit: Utilities Charging the Net Zero Economy, from May 9 to 10, 2022, in Malaga, will focus on utilities’ role in the net-zero economy. Two leaders from Microsoft EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) will discuss digital innovation and emerging technologies transforming utilities.

  • Ana Domingues, EMEA Energy Strategy Director, will present on entering the digital predictive era, and how predictability can help counteract increasing volatility and build a more resilient organization. For a successful energy transition, we must foster predictability with more precise forecasting abilities that convert uncertainty into risk management and monetization opportunities, which calls for dynamic asset orchestration and the adoption of new levels of intelligence intensity.
  • Per Christian Honningsvaag, Business Leader, EMEA Energy Industry, will speak on how emerging technologies such as wearables and augmented reality help the digital field worker improve performance and to answer these questions: How is the digital field worker equipped to reduce restoration times, increase first-attempt success rate, while improving safety? And what is the reliability and availability impact of the assets?

At DistribuTECH in Dallas, from May 23 to 25, 2022, Microsoft will highlight innovations in the power and utility space alongside our partners and customers. DistribuTECH is the leading annual power and utility event for North America, supporting solutions, promoting networking, and addressing technologies for energy professionals. Microsoft and other industry leaders will discuss digitization, grid flexibility, renewable energy integration, advanced metering, T&D system operations and reliability, communications technologies, cybersecurity, carbon tracking, and more. One of the highlights of the show will be a fireside chat Microsoft is hosting with Exelon’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Suny Elebua. Stay tuned for more updates on other sessions and topics as we get closer to the event.

At the Big Data Industry Summit in Houston, from June 13 to 14, 2022, Uwa Airhiavbere, Senior Director, Strategic Alliances, Worldwide Energy Industry, will be sharing insights on how to tie environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) to digitalization, and explore how the back office and the front office are coming together to develop new models for reporting, bringing the data online and out of silos. With smart sensors already tracking the performance of individual assets combined with AI and IoT, digitalization is beyond creating new operational efficiencies. Additionally, Hussein Shel, Chief Technology Officer, Worldwide Energy Industry, is speaking on data structure and decarbonizing by bringing together diverse and siloed data sources to help organizations understand how data can be structured to optimize and improve operational efficiencies.

At the Reuters Global Energy Transition conference, in New York, from June 14 to 15, 2022, we will continue conversations with energy chief executive officers (CEOs), executives, and policymakers to advance energy transition strategies. Key pillars of the conference are delivering net-zero, shaping sustainable and equitable energy, clean technology, and electrification. Jon Guidroz, Strategy Leader, Worldwide Energy Industry, will present how Microsoft and its global partner ecosystem together with customers are innovating on technology solutions that are accelerating the net-zero transition. If you’d like to join us at the conference, Microsoft is pleased to extend a unique discount code—MICROSOFT10—which can be redeemed at checkout.

We look forward to connecting with you at these and other events throughout the year as we work together toward a digital net-zero future.

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