Getting energy levels right

Energy:
Aimee Konieczny, Indigo Swan

One of my all-time favourite crossword clues was: “Charge of the Light Brigade”. It had me stumped. Could it be Tennyson? Crimea? Lord Cardigan? No. Quite simply the answer was “Electricity Bill”.

Electricity and gas are such integral parts of our lives they even feature in crossword puzzles!

Many people, quite frankly, find it a little dull. As a self-confessed Energy Geek, I disagree.

Understanding Energy

Very few people truly understand the complexity of getting electricity around the UK. Currently it cannot be stored at scale, so the network must be continuously monitored and finely balanced every 30 minutes. A huge team of skilled operatives work 24/7 alongside power generators, network companies, suppliers and end users to ensure we have power whenever we flick a switch.

Building Connections

That teamwork even stretches across Europe, as the UK’s energy system is physically connected with our neighbours France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and most recently Denmark (through the world’s longest land and subsea interconnector, the Viking Link).

Interconnection and the ability to gain a higher proportion of the UK’s electricity from renewable sources is one of the significant drivers for pushing these collaborative projects. Between 2020 and 2030, National Grid (the company with the greatest responsibility for electricity in the UK) expects its interconnectors will help the UK mitigate 100mn tonnes of carbon. By 2030, 90% of the energy imported through interconnectors is expected to be from zero carbon sources.

Making Energy Decisions

Sustainability, energy efficiency and the UK’s progress towards Net Zero is something that everyone at Indigo Swan is focussed on achieving too. Every Swan in the Nest – yes, really – has a passion for supporting businesses in making decisions that will result in lower usage, lower costs and, ideally, lower environmental impact. The team is passionate about servicing energy and genuinely believes that what we do matters.

Every Swan is mentored, guided and supported to expert status so they develop a passion for helping people. Before looking after people was ‘a thing’, Indigo Swan was doing it. By listening to our Swans, we’ve made a supportive culture where learning is encouraged by allowing mistakes to happen. By putting their hand up when something goes wrong, we foster an environment that allows for transparency, openness and learning – this then feeds through to the customer experience. As Richard Branson once said: “If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.”