Reference: Uniper’s innovative Data Strategies

The transition in the energy industry is fundamentally changing its business paradigm. Supply does not follow demand, but power generation and consumption have to be adopted to a volatile supply and demand, including and new prosumer-lead generation. As one of the largest European companies focused on electric power generation, Uniper has recognized early-on that data and data-based decisions will make a big difference in the new era of energy. Uniper’s Data Design team designed and drove the transformation towards data-centricity which led to significant and beneficial change.

How do you design a data strategy to become an asset for your company?

Effectively using data isn't an overnight change. It requires a shift in mindset across the entire organization, fostering a culture that values data. Employees need to adapt data skills, the organization must ensure that data is not only well-governed and tailored to its needs, but also easily accessible. Having the right tools on hand is crucial, too. Uniper set an early goal of being one of the first in the industry to embark on the journey to further grown into an insight-driven company. The data transformation started with a bottom up approach lead by the Data Design team.  

For more than three years, Uniper’s Data Design team has collaborated closely with Detecon. Firstly, the key components of Uniper’s data strategy, including the first data architecture for one global business unit and the data access management for the data lake was defined. The work covered various business areas, identifying data assets and devising bespoke data strategies to meet specific needs and allow transparency gain across the wider company. Further, frameworks tools and solutions for the main pillars of the data strategy were developed and implemented.

Data architecture, tools and solutions go as far as there are people enabled and tasked to use them. Therefore, developing an operating model including governance and data-related roles, and embedding this in the organization is important to bring the data strategy to life. In a joint effort, Uniper and Detecon have created a target operating model for the data-related activities that is being implemented gradually. Complementing this step, we developed and executed data literacy and trainings on data culture.

Measurable Results

Today, the data landscape at Uniper has undergone a significant transformation.

• The value of a insight-driven approach is implemented in the company’s DNA, including the pathway the organization needs to elevate the approach in the future for a sustainable change
• The Board of Management at Uniper is a vivid supporter of the Data Design initiatives and the broader Data Journey
• The impact of our data strategy is increasingly tangible, with growing interest from various business sectors eager to define and execute their own data strategies