Water & Wastewater Treatment Magazine
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WHO: TESLA What's the deal: Founded in 2003, the American automo ve developer has to date designed and manufactured three models of electric car. In sunny California it also produces solar panels and a line of commercial and residen al ba ery products, and says its ul mate aim is a zero-emissions future. The company's Model S was the world's best-selling plug-in electric car in both 2015 and 2016. Why it ma ers: You won't be shocked to hear automo ve companies manufacturing electric vehicles (EVs) dominated survey responses, but Tesla was the name that cropped up most of them all, not only for EVs but also its ba ery storage solu ons. The company was said to be driving innova on, which will encourage others to follow and challenge it. The company seems to know how and when to ride a trend … and leave others in their emission-free exhaust fumes. And if further proof of this were needed, last year Tesla won a bid to build the world's biggest lithium ion ba ery for South Australia, which has suffered a string of blackouts over the past 18 months – a radical and poli cally-charged move in a country that s ll relies on fossil fuels for two-thirds of its electricity. Say what?: "If their ba ery storage schemes went mainstream we would massively reduce our carbon footprint, and that's something that we're more and more aware of." "The commercialisa on of energy storage is a game-changer for the sector, and disrupts every business model." – Survey respondents WHO: AMAZON What's the deal: Amazon is best known for being an electronic commerce and cloud compu ng company. Founded in 1994, in Sea le, USA, the amazon.com website started as an online bookstore and later branched out into videos, MP3s, audiobooks, so ware, video games, electronics, clothes, furniture, food, toys, and jewellery – in short, diverse doesn't quite cover it. Amazon is the world's largest provider of cloud infrastructure services, and the fourth most valuable public company in the world. Why it ma ers: The company's poten al entry into energy retail and service provision is making big waves among those in the know. In 2015 the company launched a trial home services unit in the US and experts believe an interna onal expansion may be on the cards in the next couple of years, providing a challenge to exis ng energy retailers which are trying to find a new lease of life in the same market – for instance Bri sh Gas and its Local Heroes pla orm. Amazon is also the point of origin for Amazon Echo – or Alexa as the smart homes device has become more fondly known. In the short space since its UK launch last year, Amazon Echo has come to dominate the market for smart home tech. And it has already collected energy related "skills" which help customers choose be er tariffs, monitor their energy use and manage costs. Say what?: "Quite simply they already have the ability to manage and analyse real- me big data." "They could move into offering bundled retail services that include water and energy." – Survey respondents WHO: GOOGLE What's the deal: If you haven't heard of Google, the rock you've been living under must be very heavy, and there must be no Wi-Fi signal there. The brainchild of Sergey Brin and Larry Page in 1998, more than 70 per cent of worldwide online search requests are now handled by Google. Originally a web-based search engine, today it offers more than 50 internet services and products, from e-mail and online document crea on to so ware for mobile phones and tablet computers. Its 2012 acquisi on of Motorola Mobility meant it can also now sell hardware in the form of mobile phones. Google's broad product por olio and size make it one of the top four influen al companies in the high-tech marketplace, alongside Apple, IBM, and Microso . Why it ma ers: The internet giant's ability to glean and mone se data insight was noted as key, as well as its work with ar ficial intelligence (AI), and its poten al to become an energy pla orm in its own right – and as a result of all three, the capacity it has to offer innova ve new products. Say what?: "Google and Amazon feel like they are wai ng and seeing whether the energy sector looks appealing enough to make a true market entry. However, having spent many years circling the energy encampment, if they decide to pounce more aggressively through Google Home or Alexa the whole sector will be in for a shock. Owning no assets but with millions of customers and without any reputa onal baggage, Google and Amazon could redefine the sector's business model, cas ng all the incumbents into the dark ages." – Laura Sandys, former MP, entrepreneur and CEO of Challenging Ideas P R E S E N T S 22 | FEBRUARY 2018 | WWT | www.wwtonline.co.uk