This week’s Utility Week Live did exactly what it set out to do; challenge, energise, and refocus the industry around the big theme of ‘Lead the Change’.

That message couldn’t be more timely or urgent. As an industry, we’re not just participating in the energy transition, we’re responsible for delivering it. Lower prices, stronger capacity, energy security and sustainability all sit firmly in our collective hands.

One of the standout sessions of the day, Leading the Energy Transformation – Can We Really Create a Clean Power System by 2030?, set the tone. Dan McGrail the interim CEO of GB Energy, cut through scepticism with a compelling argument grounded in both history and hard data. We’ve transformed before, from removing CFCs to going unleaded, and clean power is simply the next step in that evolution.

His message was clear: the benefits of the transition aren’t just environmental, they’re social and economic, too. Think solar panels on schools, or a hospital generating £200k of monthly savings from a solar array on waste ground within its estate. That’s money that could directly fund frontline staff.

But it’s not just about generating renewable energy, it’s about distributing it. And doing it with people, not to them. That community-led approach is, to me, one of the most important ways we move from resistance to engagement.

The session on Enabling I&C Participation highlighted the growing role of industrial and commercial users in balancing markets. Revenue certainty through long-term markets, short-term opportunities to boost value, and better standardisation are all key to unlocking energy flexibility at scale. The prize is two-fold; new revenue streams and real support for Net Zero.

Tariff innovation was another hot topic, showing how fresh thinking is needed to make demand side response and flexibility markets work for real people. That means clear incentives and services that genuinely reflect customer needs.

Later in the afternoon, the Women’s Utilities Network brought it all back to the human side of transformation. In Overcoming Challenges and Building Personal Resilience, we were reminded that diversity of thought and experience isn’t just a moral imperative, it’s another strategic advantage.

The biggest takeaway for me is that if we want to scale flexibility and accelerate change, we need to end the ‘confusopoly’ of tariffs and wider market complexity. That means focusing on simplicity and transparency, and most importantly, listening. Customers want choice, service, security, and ease. It’s on us to make that happen.

This was all a solid reminder that change isn’t coming; it’s already here. And with awareness, data excellence, and collaboration, we can be the ones who lead it.

Andrew Donald, Business Development Manager