Industry expertise – Energy & Utilities
Energy & Utilities – Energy supply in transition
The energy and utilities sector is one of the central pillars of modern infrastructure. It combines technical complexity, social responsibility and strategic importance for the economy and the environment in equal measure. Companies in this sector are at the heart of the global energy transition, in which issues such as sustainability, digitalisation and security of supply are becoming increasingly intertwined. Caught between regulatory requirements, investment pressure and innovation, energy and utility companies are developing new strategies to provide energy more efficiently, transparently and sustainably.
The integration of digital technologies – from IoT and smart grids to SAP S/4HANA Utilities and the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) – is ushering in a new era of intelligent energy and network management. In addition to traditional electricity, gas and water suppliers, this sector now also includes operators of renewable energy, district heating and waste management systems. The aim is to manage resources sustainably, automate processes and, at the same time, secure the energy supply of tomorrow.
Main sectors of the energy and utilities industry
- Power stations / electricity generators (e.g. hydroelectric, wind, solar, coal, gas, nuclear power)
- Renewable energies (wind farms, photovoltaics, geothermal energy, biomass)
- Power plant operators and grid companies
- Transmission system operators (TSOs) – high-voltage grids, electricity transmission
- Distribution system operators (DSOs) – local electricity, gas or heating networks
- Grid control, load management, smart grid solutions
- Municipal utilities and energy suppliers (EVU)
- Electricity and gas traders
- Energy procurement and risk management
- Billing systems and customer portals (customer billing, CRM, IS-U)
- Water supply and wastewater disposal
- Pumping stations, waterworks, treatment plants
- Water quality management and consumption monitoring
- Recycling companies, waste incineration, circular economy
- Sustainability reporting and environmental management (EH&S, Sustainability Cloud)
Typical SAP solutions and modules in the energy and utilities sector
| Area | SAP solution/module | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Network & Asset Management | SAP PM / SAP EAM | Technical Asset and Maintenance Management |
| Billing & Customer Management | SAP IS-U (Industry Solution Utilities) | Industry-specific solution for energy suppliers (billing, contract management, device management) |
| Smart Metering | SAP Meter Data Management (MDM) | Management and analysis of smart meter data |
| Energy data management | SAP EDM / SAP EIM | Collect, analyse and control energy consumption data |
| Process integration | SAP PI/PO / SAP BTP Integration Suite | Networking of power plant and grid systems |
| Logistics & Materials Management | SAP MM, WM, EWM | Material flows, spare parts management |
| Sustainability & Reporting | SAP Sustainability Control Tower, EH&S | Nachhaltigkeitsberichte, CO₂-Footprint, Compliance |
| Finance & Controlling | SAP FI/CO, Group Reporting | Accounting, Cost Centres, Energy Price Management |
| Workforce Management | SAP Field Service Management / SuccessFactors | Resource planning for fitters, technicians, network operators |
| Project management | SAP PS / SAP CPM | Network and infrastructure projects, maintenance programmes |
| Business analytics | SAP Analytics Cloud, BW/4HANA | Energy consumption analyses, forecasting, KPI reporting |