Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | 17TH - 23RD MAY 2019 | 7 Interview P roviding energy is one thing, creating a sustainable business able to withstand today's volatile and highly competitive energy retail market is another thing. Enter "BE. 2.0", the plan Bristol Energy's interim managing director, Marek Majewicz, wants to talk about. Speaking to Utility Week at the council-backed supplier's bustling city centre office, Majewicz says that modern energy retailers need to do more than merely provide customers with power. BE 2.0 is about a transition from simple energy retail to supplying energy services. "Standing still in this market as just a gas and power business isn't going to do it anymore, you need to adapt and to diversify into other markets. It is absolutely the way forward," he says. Founded in 2015, Bristol Energy is a relatively new player in the energy market and is still finding its feet. The company posted an £11.2 million loss in its latest financial results, which was in the range expected, but now says it should be in the black by 2021, two years later than the initial forecast of 2019. To date, it has 167,000 domestic customers on supply, with a further 4,500 business customers. The affable former interim finance director has led Bristol Energy since founder Peter Haigh stepped down shortly before Christmas. Before joining Bristol Energy in the summer of 2018, Majewicz had a long finance career in the oil and gas sector. He has previously worked as head of finance for what was Shell Gas Direct, later taken over by Dong, now Orsted. As yet there is still no confir- mation as to who will be Haigh's permanent successor but for now Majewicz remains at the helm. Company vision "For us the challenge is not sitting still, we are transi- tioning from energy supply retail to energy services – selling warmth rather than kilowatt-hours – and I think you will see a number of other companies starting to take that tack. "It's almost like a BE 2.0 if you like – in terms of energy services and the opportunities that arise," he explains. As an example, Bristol City Council launched its City Leap prospectus last year, which outlined a series of energy and infrastructure investment opportunities available to local, national and international businesses including expanding the city's heat network. It is hoped this will help attract up to £1 billion of investment in the city's energy infrastructure over the next decade, and by offering more services Bristol Energy hopes to be a key partner. Adding to its innovation credentials, the company has

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