Greg Moyle
With more than 20 years of experience behind him working across the globe helping to drive business transformation within the world’s largest companies, Greg Moyle has extensive experience in the enterprise software space supporting organisations to overcome IT and process challenges and realise the benefits of modern technologies.
As SAP’s Head of Energy for the UK and Ireland, Moyle is in charge of all SAP’s large enterprise customers that fall under the two industry clusters of Energy and Natural Resources, as well as Discrete Manufacturing for the region.
Q. How are you addressing the need for demand with integrating renewable energy sources?
We’re working closely with our customers globally to ensure that they can truly benefit from the growth of renewable energy sources and their competitive advantages. Our partnership with E.ON, one of Europe’s largest energy companies, has been all about using advanced technologies and digital solutions — like cloud management, AI and data analytics — to optimise the integration of renewable energy sources into the energy grid. By combining E.ON's expertise in renewable energy with our own technological knowledge, we helped create solutions to meet the rising demand for energy, and also promote environmental sustainability.
Significantly, our work together involved helping E.ON to implement digital transformation initiatives that encourage innovation and provide real-time insights to enable better management of renewable energy assets and the overall grid. Whether it’s predictive maintenance, demand forecasting or optimisation of specific energy sources, our analysis of real-time data has helped E.ON to better integrate and manage its renewable sources to keep up with consumer demand.
Q. Are there any technological advancements or solutions you are developing and deploying to facilitate this transition?
Organisations are under pressure to be transparent with their data and processes. Our sustainability management solutions for ESG reporting, climate action, circular economy and social responsibility enable them to overcome these challenges. By developing solutions like the Green Token and our Sustainability Footprint Manager, we’re already on the journey to ensuring SAP customers can continue to digitally transform their business whilst continuing on a path towards a sustainable future.
With Green Token specifically, we’re enabling transparency across entire value chains. Through using the software, organisations can view a chain of custody for trust and compliance with recognised sustainability standards, and importantly be able to report this back to their customers. Combined with Sustainability Footprint Manager, which utilises supply chain information to calculate a company’s total carbon footprint, businesses can ensure they’re both meeting their own targets and complying with new net-zero regulatory requirements.
Q. How do you see the energy sector driving sustainability moving forward?
The World Bank tells us that the current global electrification rate is sitting at about 90% and has risen by more than 15% in just 20 years. It is utility companies around the globe that are delivering that energy and — no strangers to disruption and change — they have been keeping our power flowing for well over a century. But if the energy sector wishes to meet its net-zero goals and still remain profitable, it will need to address new players and practices, and respond to rapidly changing customer demands and behaviours.
This decade, it’s no longer a matter of ‘if’ we should transition to more sustainable energy sources, but ‘how’ and ‘when’. Utility companies are uniquely positioned with the scope, experience and existing customer base to rethink their business models and begin a profitable journey toward net zero.
Partnerships and cross-industry initiatives are crucial in this drive. By fostering a collaborative ecosystem, we can amplify the impact of sustainable practices, accelerate innovation and create a ripple effect that extends far beyond the energy sector.
Similarly, in the energy sector of the future, data will be an especially valuable commodity. Companies will achieve a competitive edge by leveraging artificial intelligence, powerful databases and ERP technologies to make sense of their data and to deliver actionable insights. From managing prosumers and multiple renewable energy sources to economical energy distribution and storage, utilities companies will increasingly rely on advanced analytics and data-driven practices to remain profitable and meet a rapidly shifting market and consumer base.
Q. Can you give any examples of projects and case studies that highlight SAP's role in this transformation?
Companies across the world are focusing on the transition to net-zero to meet consumer expectations and gain a competitive advantage. One organisation we’ve assisted on this journey is Greenskies Clean Energy, a supplier of cutting-edge solar powered solutions.
Since 2009, Greenskies has provided significant energy savings for commercial, utility and public sector companies. To continue boosting value for its clients and support the push for renewable energy, Greenskies implemented SAP S/4HANA, which has helped the organisation to build a cloud foundation for clean energy procurement and efficient financing. It also implemented SAP to help manage custom solar applications.
By enabling the organisation to better manage its internal operations, alongside its distribution and management of solar power, we’ve been able to continue helping Greenskies towards its net-zero goal.
Q. Are there any innovations or technologies you see defining how the utilities industry works towards its net zero targets?
The way that energy is produced is rapidly changing — more wind and solar, less coal and fossil fuel. This shift towards a net-zero future requires new processes and ways of managing energy resources. But the ‘who’ is also shifting with energy now produced by both the major companies and a plethora of new competitors and prosumers.
The natural world is changing fast, and the technological world is advancing at pace too. Cloud-connected AI technologies like machine learning (ML), data analytics and the Internet of Things (IoT) are driving the advancement of smart grids capable of managing far more complex power generation and distribution. These technologies offer significant opportunities to enable energy producers to make smarter, more informed decisions on the road to net-zero.
Artificial intelligence is the ‘intelligent agent’ behind smart grids — evaluating the environment and taking actions to maximise the goal of becoming more sustainable. It is fundamental to the integration of renewable energy and the stabilisation of energy networks. By using smart grid technologies, the industry can become more transparent and reach its net-zero goals faster.
Q. How do you see your role and that of SAP evolving in light of what you’ve just shared?
As we focus on being a cloud-first company, SAP is developing a sustainable and predictable business that drives engagement and prioritises long-term partnerships over short-term gains. We are increasingly invested in our customers throughout their entire lifecycle, from go-live all the way through to troubleshooting, support and loyalty.
This is all about constantly challenging ourselves and our customers in the way we engage, creating an environment where we have mutual trust, and we work together for joint success.
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