Return to Blog

How Cloud Collaboration Technology is Transforming Energy Planning

Written by:

Team Energy Exemplar

The energy industry is evolving rapidly as the demand for more, and more sustainable power grows. At the same time, utilities and energy organizations are being reshaped by the shift to remote and hybrid work, dispersed workforces and the need for digital transformation. For the energy transition to succeed in this new environment, collaboration across and between organizations will be of the utmost importance. As a result, the industry is increasingly recognizing the important role sophisticated, cloud-based collaboration platforms will play in their business.  

In this article, we’ll explore how cloud collaboration technologies enable utilities to transform from a traditional, reactive approach to energy system planning to one that is modern and proactive and that fosters planning operations that are efficient, reliable and sustainable. 

The Impact of Cloud Technologies

These platforms offer enhanced data accessibility and seamless sharing across a utility’s entire ecosystem, necessities for supporting today’s increasingly remote, dispersed and cross-border workforces. These capabilities are also critical to managing an energy organization’s global operations. Stormboard notes that cloud collaboration platforms “make it easy for different parts of the company to talk to each other and work together.” 

Building for the Modern Energy Landscape

Cloud-based collaboration platforms also assist utilities and energy organizations in the energy transition. Simulations play an increasingly important role in the planning process as energy systems become more complex and utilities strive to balance costs with carbon emissions. The modeling and visualizations offered by platforms such as PLEXOS Cloud help utilities plan their energy transition and infrastructure developments more efficiently by creating a single, unified system across all markets, users and locations.  

Likewise, these platforms enable the cross-functional and cross-industry collaboration that will be required for a successful energy transition. They can also streamline the scope and complexities that are inherent to the integrated system planning (ISP) methodologies being adopted industry wide.  

Building for Better Insights, Faster

In modern energy system planning, studies must be conducted swiftly because decisions must be made faster than ever before. Cloud-collaboration platforms not only enable efficient completion of those studies, but they also provide better reporting and the ability to easily share information. As a result, decision makers can analyze energy usage and carbon emissions to inform future decisions.  

How PLEXOS Cloud can Help

Cloud collaboration will be critical for utilities and energy organizations as they navigate and innovate their way through the energy transition. PLEXOS Cloud, which is continually updated and enhanced to keep pace with the rapidly evolving energy industry, includes features that enable collaboration across and between organizations on models and studies, backups, version control, easily shared outputs, built-in reports and easy-to-understand dashboards. PLEXOS Cloud also provides reports designed to help executives make critical decisions faster. 

Learn how PLEXOS Cloud can enable and enhance seamless collaboration between teams in and outside of your organization

Want to learn more about cloud technology in the energy industry? Check out these additional resources: 

 BLOG - Experts - Cloud Provides Cost, Security & Reliability Benefits to Grid 

 BLOG - Cybersecurity Guidelines Released by NARUC and U.S. DOE

 BLOG - Cloud Technologies Critical to Energy Utilities and Organizations

 BLOG - Why Cybersecurity is Crucial in the Energy Industry 

 BLOG - Best Practices for a Strong Cybersecurity Foundation 

 BLOG - Best Cloud Security Practices and PLEXOS Cloud 

 BLOG - PLEXOS Cloud: A Year of Innovation and Growth in 2023

 BLOG - Scaling Up - What You Can Do with Unlimited Compute

 BLOG - Flexible PLEXOS Cloud Bundles Tailored to Your Energy Simulation Needs

Interested in more content like this?

Subscribe to our newsletter and we'll send you the latest!
Team Energy Exemplar

We love it when our blogs come from specific people but often it's a team effort. These blogs are written by the numerous outstanding people at Energy Exemplar.