Data and AI: the new energy of A2A
Discover A2A Energia's path of transformation of business processes from a data-driven perspective, thanks to the adoption of innovative advanced analytics solutions, and AI and Machine Learning models.
#Advanced analytics
#Data platform
#Energy & utilities
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THE CHALLENGE
Ensure operational excellence and enable business process transformation by transforming high-quality data into AI-driven strategic insights.
SCENARIO
Managing data complexity to enable new market opportunities
A2A, one of the main Italian multi-utilities, has launched, as part of the first strategic plan 2021-2030, a data-driven transformation process aimed at ensuring the achievement of the objectives imposed by the energy transition, in a market scenario in which consumers are increasingly demanding and require increasingly personalized, convenient services and in line with decarbonization policies. Becoming “data-driven”, i.e. basing your decisions on data, is of strategic importance thanks to the possibility of using the insights gained from an ever increasing amount of data.
This information can be processed quickly and effectively, enabling new business models and customer interaction, improving the experience on digital channels and optimizing operations. In addition, this approach makes it possible to accelerate sales of services, ensure greater ability to listen to end customers and customize products and services based on real customer needs. For these reasons, it becomes essential to transform data into a central asset, improving the quality, governance and availability of information to seize strategic opportunities and optimize business processes.
The solution
Trusted Data and Data Lab: the heart of the strategy
To face these challenges, A2A Energia and Power Reply have started a close collaboration, combining their respective expertise to develop an innovative approach. The starting point of A2A was a strategic study (Data Strategy) to draw a roadmap based on data, directing the digital transformation of business processes. Subsequently, the program to implement a cloud Data Platform, based on Google Cloud and Qlik Sense, was launched. This technologically advanced, scalable and integrated Data Platform is powered by more than 40 source systems (internal and external to the A2A application map). Thanks to an advanced Data Governance framework, A2A has developed an ecosystem of “trusted data”, verified and centralized, accessible by more than 350 business users through more than 400 dashboards, 5 areas of Self BI and more than 10 AI models. The availability of a unique Business Glossary has allowed the introduction of DATA LABs, environments dedicated to data exploration. Thanks to sandboxes powered by 'trusted data', users can freely experiment with new analyses independently, accelerating the identification of strategic insights thanks to advanced analysis tools.
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use case
From data to insights with ML and AI
The adoption of an advanced data platform has provided the basis for maximizing the potential of data, also thanks to the introduction of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence models that have allowed, among other things, to:
Completely redesign, thanks to a data-driven approach, the contract renewal process to allow it to scale on an increasingly vast customer base and to manage personalized services that comply with regulatory constraints.
Ensure a better analysis of the customer base thanks to the introduction of predictive models able to identify the customers most likely to abandon them by identifying targeted preventive loyalty actions.
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Improve the forecasting and management of energy consumption with the objective of minimizing the risk associated with the pricing model, supporting planning and optimizing resource management with impacts on the hedging process.
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Have advanced simulation tools and “what if” of margins or customized prices
THE RESULTS
Efficiency achieved, continuous innovation
The adoption of the Data Platform, AI & ML models and Data Exploration environments have allowed A2A Energia to obtain significant benefits: the transformation of some of the Core Business processes, greater precision in analysis, timely decision making, competitive time to market, and the enabling of new services capable of improving the customer experience thanks to a 360° view of them.
next step
New use cases driven by Generative AI
Looking to the future, A2A Energia focuses on Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI to continue the innovation path, ensuring operational efficiency, the transformation of core business processes and the dissemination of data literacy within all business functions of the Business Unit thanks to change management programs and training based on Human-centered design approaches. Some of the current use cases concern: the development of a knowledge management platform, to allow quick and intelligent access to information thanks to advanced conversational agents; narrative analytics and dashboarding, to accelerate the creation of dashboards and analysis using natural language and copilot functionality; optimization of business processes, such as credit reconciliation and the optimized management of logs and tickets, significantly reducing the time required for operational activities heavily time consuming. These steps represent a further step in A2A Energia's journey towards operational excellence, consolidating the role of data and artificial intelligence as a driver of innovation and competitiveness.
Listed on the stock exchange, with almost 15,000 employees, A2A is the first player in Italy in the field of circular economy for waste treatment, the recovery of energy from urban waste and for district heating and the second national energy operator in terms of installed capacity and distributed electricity. The Group manages the generation, sale and distribution of energy, the sale and distribution of gas, district heating, the waste cycle, electric mobility and intelligent services for cities, public lighting and integrated water service. A2A's strategy is based on the two pillars of the circular economy and the energy transition, to which an investment plan of 22 billion euros is allocated by 2035, which combines sustainable value generation, decarbonization, innovation and contribution to the country's energy autonomy.
Power Reply is the Reply group company focused on the Energy & Utilities market. It combines deep knowledge of the market and business processes with a strong competence in the implementation and management of applications that support the “core” activities of its customers. Power Reply offers Business Consulting, IT Advisory and Digital Strategy services, supporting companies in the process of optimizing IT investments, providing solutions and services in line with the energy transition and decarbonization process.