IDC FutureScape Figure

Figure: IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Utilities 2020 Top 10 Predictions

Executive Summary

IDC FutureScape Predictions

Summary of External Drivers

Predictions: Impact on Technology Buyers

Prediction 1: While developing new business models, in 2020, utilities will put 80% of their execution efforts into modernizing the core, with emphasis on applying AI to customer, asset or enterprise operations

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Prediction 2: By 2021, only 20% of electric utilities will have developed an end-to-end emobility ecosystem — from equipment to customer applications — unlocking business worth of up to 10% of their gross margins

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Prediction 3: By 2024, 70% of utilities operating in countries not yet at 100% electrification rate will invest in microgrids to achieve their clean energy goals and grant energy access to the entire population

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Prediction 4: By 2022, 70% of water companies will have deployed advanced analytics and AI on telemetry and operational systems data, reducing leakages, power usage, and chemical usage by 10%, 15%, and 30%, respectively

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Prediction 5: By 2022, half of utilities and energy retailers will have reorganized their operations along the customer journey, leveraging agile to speed up processes and outcomes while increasing CSAT by 30%

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Prediction 6: By 2020, over 30% of utilities will still have segregated IT-OT governance models with less efficient operations and maintenance processes compared with utilities with highly integrated IT-OT models

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Prediction 7: By 2023, over 50% of utilities will use digital twins for T&D assets, reducing simulation model creation time for T&D systems by nearly 90% and providing significant savings in maintenance costs

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Prediction 8: By 2025, 70% of utility-owned solar and wind capacity will be managed through APM platforms, improving capacity factors by an additional 5% in solar and 10% in wind

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Prediction 9: By 2023, 50% of electricity, gas, and water companies will have deployed AR, wearables, AI, or robots to augment field technicians' capabilities, improving safety and reducing maintenance costs by 25%

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Prediction 10: In 2021, one out of five electric, gas, or water utilities will appoint a new CISO capable of holistically managing digital trust and reducing corporate risk

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Advice for Technology Buyers

External Drivers: Detail

The Age of Innovation — Driving the Future Enterprise

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Accelerated Disruption — Navigating Business Challenges as Volatility Intensifies

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Sense, Compute, Act — Maximizing Data Value

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Crisis of Digital Trust — Escalating Threats Mandate Strategic Responses

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Intelligence Everywhere — AI's Opportunity and Implications

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Rising Customer Expectations — More Convenience, Customization, and Control

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Economies of Intelligence — AI, Human, and Organizational "Learning" Fuels Asymmetrical Advantage

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