Blockchain in Utilities - Thematic Research

Blockchain in Utilities - Thematic Research

Summary

Blockchain is a nascent industry; it is moving beyond the incubation phase, but it is still largely the domain of proof-of-concept projects and small-scale production deployments. Blockchain technology, often referred to as “distributed ledger technology” (or DLT) is a means by which the participants in a distributed network can each maintain a copy of an immutable ledger of transactions, and where transactions can be executed without the need for a single, central, coordinating authority.

Many organizations, most notably in the financial services sector, have been working on internal blockchain projects for some time now. Blockchain solutions require a network of parties to agree to use the network, agree the underlying business processes that will govern the network, and then to integrate their systems with the network. Blockchain is not a game you can play on your own - it is a team sport.

Utilities are becoming more decentralized, as a result of a growing reliance on distributed generation, storage, and flexibility services by customers and other industry participants. The growth in electric vehicles is also posing a challenge to the centralized model of utilities, as is the rise of small local and municipal energy systems and microgrids. Increasingly, utilities are seeing the potential of blockchain to allow coordination between these many players with conflicting interests, and facilitate the exchange of information and value between them through mechanisms like smart contracts.

The report "Blockchain in Utilities - Thematic Research", offers a framework in which to look at Blockchai. The report also summarizes the important trends and helps in identifying which companies are best placed to succeed in a future filled with multiple disruptive threats.

Scope

• The report elaborates on the impact of blockchain on utilities.


• It analyses the cost and complexity of implementing blockchain solutions.


• It identifies the current leaders in blockchain technology, and companies which look vulnerable.

Reasons to buy

• The report highlights some of the key players in the blockchain industry.


• It discusses some of the key trends in blockchain technology, also referred to in the report as “distributed ledger technology” (or DLT).


• The report also analyses the blockchain value chain by use case.


• It offers an industry analysis, including DLT and the concept of “trust”, the prospects of commercial blockchains, the fundamental technical challenges, and their primary use cases.


• The report also discusses the impact of blockchain on utilities and offers a technology briefing as to how the technology works and how it has developed over the last decade.