In Conversation with Vincent Montanet, Chief Business Development Officer, ENGIE Solutions
Providing a unique value
“ENGIE Solutions believes in delivering turnkey client solutions, not services, which offer unparalleled value to our customers by helping them improve their bottom line while contributing towards becoming carbon neutral. As part of the ENGIE Group, a global energy leader, we draw on global expertise from offices present in 70 countries. Our global presence gives us access to the most advanced technologies, vast skills and resources, and significant investments in R&D and sustainable research. When coupled with our local expertise, this enables us to provide our customers with locally relevant, energy-efficient and sustainable solutions that are right for our partners, and which yield real business results. Our clients know that they can count on us to properly assess their needs and to propose customized solutions based on this assessment – and they also know that we will deliver on our promise.
Throughout the region, our clients benefit from ENGIE Solutions’ extensive low-carbon energy and innovative technology driven asset optimization solutions. We offer these to cities, communities and industries alike. What sets us apart is our ambition to become a world leader in delivering sustainable energy solutions to anyone who is committed to reducing their carbon footprint. This could include businesses or government entities – our experts have the knowledge and understanding to deliver unique solutions based on each client’s particular needs.
Reducing carbon emissions is a significant investment, which is sometimes an inhibitor for clients who wish to operate more sustainably. Our solution to this is to drive low carbon energy transition as a service that is cost-effective, financed, and tailored specifically for each customer. To do this, we review a client’s energy use and identify potential reductions in carbon emissions. Based on this, we upgrade or replace inefficient existing infrastructure equipment, and deliver a supply of greener energy, either on or off-site. We manage and optimise the operation and maintenance of all installations, leveraging smart technology, artificial intelligence and big data to ensure seamless operations, including predictive maintenance and remote operations. This enables us to continuously improve our systems based on data analysis, which contributes in turn to greater sustainability and energy efficiency. What sets us apart is that we provide financing options for these solutions, making us a solid partner in the carbon neutral transition journey.
Across the Middle East, ENGIE Solutions has proven successes. We have 111 GWH accumulated energy reduction; 54,653 tonnes accumulated CO2 abatement, and around USD 14,426,280.6 accumulated cost savings. ENGIE Solutions manages 45 million sqm across the region, via more than 200 live projects. Results like this prove that ENGIE Solutions brings knowledge, expertise, and outcomes that our clients can rely on.”
Goals and objectives in 2021
“ENGIE Solutions has built a reputation as a strong energy services partner across the region. As we progress towards 2021, we will continue to focus on providing energy efficiency solutions to cities, communities and industries, in alignment with ENGIE Group’s core vision to accelerate the transition towards a carbon neutral economy.
In line with the visions and strategies set by the GCC countries, we’re determined to continue working closely with businesses to take the first step towards becoming carbon neutral. We have a unique ability to bring ENGIE’s global expertise locally in energy efficiency, digitalisation and renewables across all types of infrastructure. It is also our role as a leading international organisation to continue our investment in the local workforce and financing turnkey energy efficient projects.”
Projects
“This year has been a tough year for all industries, but it has also encouraged the region to accelerate the acceptance of new technologies and energy-driven solutions.
Despite the challenges in 2020, ENGIE Solutions has brought substantial wins in the energy efficiency sector. Our local and regional skills and investment capabilities in supporting project financing have been a strong contributor in developing strong client partnerships. We’re looking forward to another successful year with a strong pipeline of businesses that are in alignment with our group strategy.”
Coming out stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic
“As many of the services provided by ENGIE Solutions are essential, we have thankfully seen less of an impact than other industries have in the last 12 months. The COVID-19 pandemic has elevated facilities management or building services to a strategic priority for many public and private sector entity, as proper management solutions can help to minimize disruption by making indoor environments as efficient and safe as possible. Aside from driving down energy or environmental costs, we have driven technology-driven solutions to improve air quality or reduce manpower interaction in client environments. We have been working with numerous clients to implement new measures that will enhance safety and wellbeing for employees, particularly in indoor environments. There has been a shift towards value and performance as a major differentiator, and this is something that ENGIE Solutions is highly qualified to deliver – especially in terms of hitting service level agreements and key performance indicators. Long-term value and impact in terms of the bottom line and sustainability are what we do best.”
Technology
“Our clients have seen the financial and service level benefits of integrated and performance-based solutions. As a provider of energy, asset, and smart building solutions, the combination of these services allows us to provide value to the client and outperform traditional service models in the market.
We have demonstrated that the deployment of IoT technology has a sufficient return on investment in relation to operations, maintenance and energy; and the key is deploying the right level of required technology.
Our experience in utilising technology to increase efficiencies leverages both local knowledge and global expertise which is vital to operate in the region. Our IoT platforms already have over 7,000 companies worldwide, which allows us to leverage global best practices as well as experience from 110,000 colleagues who deliver solutions worldwide. We empower our skilled staff with technology to identify and capitalize on further efficiencies and savings that were not possible before. This achieves energy, O&M, and time efficiencies, whilst boosting service standards.
Our Smart Buildings Platforms include AI and Machine learning and are monitoring asset and energy data in real-time to optimize operations and make data-driven decisions with regards to operations in the future. Data is collected from existing systems and assets using smart gateway technology, otherwise, we deploy wireless sensor technology to collect data for parameters that are not traditionally recorded within buildings.
We have already seen a rapid uptake in IoT and automation since the beginning of the pandemic. From an IoT point of view, we have been deploying wireless sensor technology for remote monitoring services including air quality and condition-based maintenance. With regards to automation, our clients want to be able to remotely control their buildings and ensure minimum energy consumption during low or no occupancy.
The market continues to grow with technology, however, it’s important to remember that hardware and software alone does not provide value. Partnering with the right organization for digital transformation is key to realizing value.
The outsourcing of these solutions gives our clients peace of mind and allows them to concentrate on their core business, whilst we bring knowledge and expertise to keep things running in the background with minimal disruption.”