Black & Veatch recently announced the reorganization of its global power business, in response to growing client demand for tailored solutions balancing conventional and renewable generation sources, as well as more distributed, resilient power sources and grid infrastructure. The new organization elevates focus on Black & Veatch Power’s Renewables business and launches a Distributed Energy operating group, strictly focused on distributed energy resources (DERs) and power distribution as emerging fuel sources continue to transform the industry. The structure also enhances global focus on Black & Veatch’s traditional and conventional power transmission businesses.
The changes, led by Mario Azar, president of Black & Veatch’s global power business, will realign the company’s core generation, renewables, transmission and distributed energy teams to more nimbly address client demand in critical and diverse global geographies. They will also help address North America and Southeast Asia’s population growth and grid reliability demands, which call for a variety of power solutions from zero-carbon generation sources to conventional technologies. These diverse and fundamental changes are forcing a “repowering” of the more-than-century-old power industry.
“Working with clients of differing scale and development, it’s become clear that generation, transmission and distribution can no longer operate in isolation,” said Azar. “Demand for renewable energy continues to grow, with its generation now impacting the operations of the traditional transmission and distribution sectors. Investments in distributed energy require a more flexible grid to ensure reliability and offer clients a greater choice of power generation solutions.”
Utilities must also turn to new technologies that improve their efficiencies and respond to savvy customers increasingly wanting a digital, always-on experience with their utility, including apps that enable consumers to manage their energy usage and accounts with ease.
“In this complex, multifaceted energy ecosystem where there’s no one-size-fits-all dynamic, the industry must become more flexible and nimbler,” said Azar. “Renewable energy from solar and wind is providing an increasing share of power generation production while conventional resources remain the backbone of the balanced generation portfolio mix across most of the globe. Similarly, millions of electric vehicles (EVs) are expected to transform the transportation sector over the next several years creating pressure for power providers to accommodate charging needs that are both distributed and concentrated.”
Black & Veatch’s Power business offers a range of services to full engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) in conventional, renewable, and distributed power generation, transmission and distribution, microgrids, and behind the meter services. The realignment also centralizes sales and marketing, and global project service resources forming an agile, collaborative team.
