Tackling the energy burden - a different type of event
The Traxis Group is spearheading the commercialisation of local energy systems in order to decarbonise homes, reduce energy bills and mitigate local grid congestion. In doing so we aim to take away the energy burden from developers, landlords and consumers. A key element in doing this is initiating valuable business collaborations, but how do you even start to do this in these days of hybrid working, multiple online meetings and overloaded in-boxes, especially when you need to bring together parties that don’t often meet with each other?
Our answer is a different type of event – one where the emphasis is on creating the atmosphere and conditions where meaningful informal business conversations can take place. We introduce each other, provide stimulation, generate debate, and then let the conversations flow.
Our first one was a 24hr residential stay at Leeds Castle in Kent which provided the perfect surroundings (and at a comparable price to a central London venue). Deliberately designed as a small, private event we never-the-less had representatives from 16 businesses active in this market covering finance, networks, property development, councils, solution and platform providers along with specialist energy consultancies. The exam question was how to take local energy systems to market.
There have been many trials, demonstrators, even pilots but few commercial propositions capable of engaging the mass market. What is needed now is a viable commercial business model together with a business integration service. This service puts together a business system in the same way that system integration puts together a technical system. It is the missing element in taking innovation to market.
It was a great success. We started with 5 inspirational case studies including CleanWatts who demonstrated how their model is working commercially and generating huge customer demand. Our generic business approach was accepted, we identified several potential opportunities from the various conversations and in the words of Monika Paplaczyk, Investment Director at Thrive Renewables, “this will be fundable but how do we get there?” We therefore achieved 2 of our 3 aims – and made good progress with the third.
We ended by agreeing a way ahead to formalise the initiative and develop a number of Common Interest Groups to address particular elements of the approach. This will start later this month with the DNO, property developer and platform interest groups. We will be holding an Intermediate Development Forum in London in mid-July. This will be for those that were unable to make the inaugural event at Leeds Castle, to take early feedback from the first 3 Common Interest Groups and look to create others as required.
The momentum is building. If you are interested in joining us, please use the Contact Us page and introduce your business.