SENTIENT ENERGY GUIDEPOSTS
- January 19, 2021
For individuals and organizations alike, the start of a new year is a good time to assess where we’ve been and where we’re going. As the Sentient Energy team celebrates 2020’s successes and we look toward 2021’s goals, we want to share three key guideposts that keep us on track.
Guidepost #1 – Maintain a keen focus on customer relationships and needs, innovation, and committed execution
Adopting the latest in technology in order to benefit the utilities we serve is important to us. One such example is the development of 4G and 5G cellular networks with a strong focus on IoT – the Internet of Things. Just a few years ago, cellular operators didn’t have an offering that met the needs of utilities’ operations.
Flexibility and innovation geared toward meeting customer needs is also what drove Sentient Energy to become one of the first companies to market with intelligent sensors providing cyber-secure communications over LTE networks. This advanced technology feature makes it possible for utilities to select the best mix of private and public networks, using either mesh or cellular technology, to ensure optimal coverage of their entire grid.
Guidepost #2 – Stay attuned to what is happening in the industry while seeking out and realizing new opportunities
Deep industry experience amongst team members. Trusted relationships with customers and business partners. Synergy and learnings with industry labs and associations. These are the things that enable us to stay current and connected with electric utility industry developments and needs.
Sentient Energy is pioneering the analysis of electric waveforms and signals captured by our intelligent sensors. 2021 will see us productize the results of previously conducted and ongoing research to deliver numerous new functionalities and features to utility customers. Our team is also focused on developing new sensor capabilities like fault detection and location during hurricanes as well as vegetation encroachment for wildfire risk mitigation. These innovative enhancements will help utilities better manage and mitigate the impact of increasingly severe weather and wildfires.
Guidepost #3 – Collaboration and connectedness is powerful
A recent Fast Company article, 8 Superpowers of Highly Successful Teams, said this about Thomas Edison and his early influence on collaboration in the workplace, “The genius of Edison was that he brought together some of the brightest minds to collaborate, exchange ideas and work in creative ways…” There is power (no pun intended) in teamwork and collaboration.
This holds true for collaboration and teamwork across and within all Sentient Energy teams. It also holds true and for our approach to customer relationships. Overall team success relies on the success of each individual team member, and the company’s success is dependent upon the success of our business and customer partners.
Last March we became a part of the Koch Engineered Solutions family. Now, the teamwork and collaboration we know so well extends beyond our Sentient Energy team to all the Koch Industries and KES companies. Customers benefit from partnerships amongst KES companies with an array of complementary services and solutions. Two such companies are OnPoint™, a connected digital solutions and industrial systems performance analysis company, and enterprise software company, Infor™.
Our utility customers often tell us they don’t have the bandwidth to manage multiple solutions platforms. The ability to leverage a single relationship with Sentient Energy for introduction and coordination of other KES operational and management system solutions addresses that pain point. Additionally, Sentient Energy’s trusted industry expertise allows for a more targeted and streamlined understanding of relevant needs at the customer level.
The result? Less resources are needed to gain comprehensive grid management efficiency and optimization through a range of industry expertise, services and solutions. We think of it as “intelligent grid one-stop shopping.”
2021 and beyond
As the first company to provide utilities with deep insight into status and trends of the grid by detecting, tracking and analyzing electric “disturbances,” Sentient Energy is a true industry leader.
What’s on the company’s 2021 horizon? With attention to our guideposts and emphasis on innovation, our sights are set on emerging industry needs and how we’ll deliver on new intelligent distribution grid opportunities.
What are we excited about? The opportunity to enhance the value we bring to our customers and boost company growth through collaboration and teamwork within the family of Koch companies.
