For over a decade, Vallebygdens Energi in Sweden has operated smart metering. Now, when transferring to second generation AMI technology, the utility chose Landis+Gyr as its partner with the aim of improving operational efficiency using their advanced offering and Software as a Service solution.

When joining the Landis+Gyr EMEA organization years ago, I was joining a famous energy meter manufacturer known mainly for its high-quality smart meters and advanced software for collecting metering data. At the time, the term ‘service business’ was not a key word in the organization or in our industry in Europe, except in the Nordic countries where smart metering has been offered as a service since the early 2000's.

The growth pace of the global Smart Grid as a Service (SGaaS) market is increasing as more and more utilities are turning to service-based delivery of smart grid operations. Multiple challenges, such as regulatory pressures, rising consumer expectations, and increasing complexity of the smart grid infrastructure to name a few, drive distribution system operators to embrace Managed Services as an opportunity to optimize their physical assets and business processes.

In December, Landis+Gyr announced that its long-term partner Syd Energi Net A/S in Denmark has selected the company to supply meters, communication technology, software and integration as well as the meter rollout as a turnkey service.

The Software as a Service (SaaS) model continues to gain traction among energy companies as they look for ways to adapt to increasingly complex and costly integrated application environments with shorter implementation cycles.

When utilities look into the future, they see a market in a state of constant change. The ongoing industry transformation including digitalization and changing market landscapes means that the utilities market of the future will be vastly different to how it is today.