Solving the smart metering ‘blackspots’ challenge with Alt HAN Co

Smart meters are the first step towards creating more energy-efficient homes, helping people take control of their energy use. However, 5% of UK properties, or over 1 million households, can’t take this first step, as they live in places where energy meters, in-home devices and communications hubs are too far apart to talk with each other. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) created Alt HAN Co – a co-operative of the UK’s energy suppliers – to find a solution for these hard-to-reach ‘blackspots’. They needed to choose technology partners, manufacture the meters, and build a flourishing new organisation. Alt HAN Co chose Baringa as programme delivery partner to help them go from ‘drawing board’ to ‘full-fledged organisation’. 

We built the business case, rallied support for it and kicked off the product development

To get the company up and running, we needed to build the foundations. So, we brought together Alt HAN Co's board, reps from across the energy industry, BEIS and Ofgem to write the business case, governance and operating models, and to plan the development, thorough testing and rollout of the new meter into people’s homes. We then selected vendors - one to produce the device, and one to build the IT systems and processes, and negotiated contracts with technology service providers including Toshiba, Siemens and LNG. 

As programme leadership, our biggest challenges revolved around people. How could we foster collaboration and build support for the business case across such a large and diverse range of stakeholders, often with competing priorities? How could we instil a culture in the new company that would ready it for success in future without consultancy support? We listened and engaged all parties and acted as a mediator and coached the executive team on how to grow a dynamic company culture. With new team members joining all the time we ran onboarding sessions and regular, quick, all-company meetings to build team spirit.

Putting smart meters in everyone’s reach

ALT Han Co is now a live and thriving business employing over 40 people. They delivered a £400m technology project. And, after 15 years of smart metering, the industry will finally have a solution that addresses hard-to-reach ‘blackspots’. One that makes it possible for over a million households, many of which are in disadvantaged areas, to take control of their energy consumption and be a part of the energy transition. 

Find out how we help our clients with Operations and Organisational Transformation