Technology Magazine May 2019 | Page 233

The second trend , decentralisation , involves the restructuring of energy distribution infrastructure on a global scale . “ We as a nation and as a planet cannot continue to feed our need for energy by building more power stations ad infinitum , and by digging up the roads and laying more and more copper wire to bring us more and more energy . That ’ s just patently unsustainable ,” Gomez explains . “ We should be looking to generate energy in a decentralised way , which reduces reliance on the grid and creates more resilient local operations .” CBRE maintains strong ties with energy companies that emphasise sustainability in their offerings and are making strides towards a decentralised energy future . Centrica is a multinational energy and services company with its headquarters in Windsor , Berkshire , that is moving into decentralised power generation options . “ What they ’ re doing is moving into distributed energy solutions , which take the energy they are providing to their clients , but design those solutions to be so efficient that the customer uses less energy ,” Gomez says . “ Centrica have their own Combined Heat and Power ( CHP ) business in Manchester . They ’ re the only CHP manufacturer in the UK . They have their own metering business , their own battery storage business and their own solar business . They provide the full technical , project management and funding agreement solutions we believe a customer could utilise . So , we have a preferred arrangement with them ,” he explains .
Digitisation , Gomez believes , will allow CBRE to increase both efficiency and sustainability for its clients . “ If you put a sensor on every moving part of
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