The partners will bring in their expertise across cloud, data, and AI to help to transform the energy system in the UK

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Accenture and Microsoft aim to help their UK clients reduce renewable generation costs by up to 25%. (Credit: seagul from Pixabay)

Accenture, Microsoft, and their joint venture Avanade are teaming up to help the UK expedite its target of net-zero for carbon emissions by 2050.

By leveraging open data, artificial intelligence (AI), and a digital workforce, the partners will collaborate to enable utility and energy firms in transforming the energy system. The partnership will also help them bring down the cost of decarbonising the supply and demand of electricity in the country.

For this, the partners will combine their cloud, data, and AI capabilities apart from bringing in their experience with the internet of things (IoT), digital twins, and industry transformation.

Avanade’s digital skills and capabilities will be combined with Microsoft technology for delivering digital transformation for the UK utility and energy firms.

Microsoft U.K. CEO Clare Barclay said: “Last year, Microsoft announced we would be carbon negative by 2030 and remove our entire carbon footprint by 2050. A fundamental way in which we aim to achieve these targets is through technological innovation.

“Likewise, we pledged to develop and deploy digital technologies to help others reduce their carbon footprints.”

One of the goals of the partners will be to help utility and energy clients to decrease the cost of renewable generation by up to 25% and increase their role in system balancing.

Another goal will be to support the clients in achieving cost-effective electrification of energy demand. Apart from that, the collaboration aims to help their UK clients in matching supply and demand for an electricity system that is free from carbon emissions by 2025.

Accenture and Microsoft will also employ open industry data for giving more secure, consistent, and accessible information. This will help the clients drive efficiency and also support cross-industry innovation around new markets, while boosting asset performance and optimisation.

Accenture managing director and UK and Ireland resources business lead Toby Siddall said: “The U.K.’s targets for net-zero push focus onto the energy and utilities sectors through which the most significant impacts on decarbonization can be made. The time for action is now, and it will require innovative new approaches, solutions and ecosystems.

“Our integrated approach to decarbonization stems from a mutual belief that data and digital transformation are essential in enabling the transition to a low-carbon future, and it can lead to growth, new skills and competitiveness for the U.K.”

Clients will also be helped by the partners to digitally enable their employees. The partner will work on enabling connected workers to access support remotely.