The future of how we fuel & power
PwC & Economist Enterprise
Human moments of problem‑solving, powered by technology, are triggering industry reconfiguration. Discover how digital grids, AI, and cross-sector collaboration are reinventing how we fuel and power.
From islands grids to the future of how we fuel and power
On the Caribbean island of St. Croix, Thomas and other small business owners are living the shift to a shared solar‑and‑battery network, showing how power systems can become cleaner, more resilient and more accessible. The fragile island grids and rising energy costs, shows small business owners and communities rethinking how electricity is generated, stored and shared. Their story shows how rooftop solar and home batteries are turning energy resilience into shared infrastructure, stabilising the grid while giving households and businesses greater control and economic return. What began as protection against outages is now reshaping how energy systems are built, managed and scaled, demonstrating how digital coordination and distributed power can deliver cleaner, more resilient energy far beyond the islands.
Reinventing energy in an increasingly interconnected world
Change begins with individuals tackling practical challenges. On St. Croix, Donald’s rooftop solar installation combined with battery storage does more than safeguard his business operations. Connected with thousands of similar systems across the US Virgin Islands, it contributes to a virtual power plant an integrated, intelligent network that releases stored energy when pressure on the grid increases. What once served as backup capacity is now evolving into critical infrastructure.
Energy landscapes are being reshaped as growing electricity demand meets the urgency for cost-effective, reliable, and lower-carbon solutions. Responding to this shift calls for closer cooperation between established energy providers and players in technology, manufacturing, and finance. Together, they are developing new operating models spanning grid management, demand response, energy storage, and digital orchestration. As a result, energy is no longer confined to a single sector, it is becoming a cross-industry ecosystem centred on the essential need to power modern society.
What this means for leaders
The implication is clear: energy is increasingly a shared growth platform. Value is created not within isolated silos, but through the coordination of systems, data, and partnerships that transcend traditional industry boundaries.
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A new perspective on the future of energy in The Netherlands
As PwC’s Energy sector lead, Paul Nillesen sketches a future where the Netherlands shifts irrevocably from centralised to predominantly decentralised energy. 'We're moving towards a fine-meshed web of solar parks, neighbourhood batteries, electric vehicles and smart grids. Production, storage and consumption converge,' he says. This shift demands unprecedented convergence between traditional energy players, tech companies and grid operators. New alliances. Shared data. Different rules. 'It's reinvention out of necessity. Only by reinventing ourselves can we secure both supply and affordability.' That means thinking and operating across sectors, with flexibility as foundation and shared responsibility for infrastructure.
Paul Nillesen, Energy sector lead PwC Nederland
