Data key to Vector investment decisions
Date Added: 10 Nov 2016 from BusinessNZ Energy Council
"We do not think of ourselves as a utility - we are a technology company." Simon Mackenzie says there is a "big shift" happening in the industry, and called on equipment manufacturers to better meet networks' changing needs. Electricity assets need to be smaller, cheaper and modular and don't need to last 40 years any more. That equipment also needs to be smart. Mackenzie says the software controlling devices will play a much greater role in delivering services. An example is BMW's plan to install identical motors in all its vehicles but then offer software upgrades to access additional performance. "You can buy an upgrade to a Motorsports series for a weekend and go back to a 316 when you want to drive normally," Mackenzie says. "There is no rational reason why that sort of thinking shouldn't be coming into a lot of the energy sector and particularly the manufacturers."
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