Iren Mercato and Accenture announce launch of energy consumption monitoring, a connected home service, to deliver energy for consumers

Further products and services to create new revenue streams

BARCELONA; Nov. 16, 2016 – Iren Mercato, the Italian energy utility, has collaborated with Accenture (NYSE: ACN) to launch one of the first connected home services for customers in Italy. Focused on energy-consumption monitoring, it is a first step in creating a new business model beyond the commodities of electricity and gas. By working closely with Accenture to design the new service and operating model, Iren Mercato was able to accelerate it to market.

Iren Mercato customers now have real-time, smart monitoring of their energy usage via mobile and web-based applications with a more engaging consumer experience and improved customer service.

This marks a key step in the broader transformation program Iren Mercato and Accenture are working on, to grow the utility from being a commodity supplier to providing new products and services. Other advances will include home insurance based on the Internet of Things, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, PV solar panels and advanced solutions for remote energy monitoring and control.

“This collaboration will aid us in our goal of delivering innovative services tailored to individual citizens to create a consistent, durable new business going forward, which is a key part of our 2021 business plan,” said Gianluca Bufo, CEO, Iren Mercato. “We selected Accenture for this program due to its ability to deliver end-to-end capabilities, digital solutions and its deep industry knowledge, which are key to bring new services to customers quickly.”

Accenture Strategy is conducting market analysis on an ongoing basis to help define and design new products and services, while Accenture Consulting and Accenture Technology are teaming to implement the new operating model and the enabling technologies. Accenture Operations is providing business process services to Iren Mercato.

“Italian energy consumers are increasingly seeking more efficient and innovative services, and Iren Mercato is taking an early leadership role in providing them in the northwest of Italy, aiming to be among the first European utilities to identify the successful business model,” said Pierfederico Pelotti, managing director, Accenture Utilities, Italy, Central Europe and Greece, Accenture. “They are making these advances at just the right time, as new distributed energy sources open up further opportunities to create new revenue streams.”