Innovation @ AmerenAmeren Accelerator &
Start-Up Engagement
Eli Gerson | Innovation Business Analyst May 22, 2018
Who is Ameren?
• Vertically-integrated electric generation, transmission and delivery and gas delivery business
• Serves 1.2 million electric and 126,000 gas customers
• Diversified generation portfolio– 10,300 MW of total generation capability
– Includes nuclear, coal, natural gas, hydro, landfill gas, wind and solar
• Regulated by Missouri Public Service Commission
• Serves 2.4 million electric and more than 900,000 gas customers
• Operates 10,200 MW of regulated electric generation capability
• Owns 4,600 circuit miles of FERC-regulated electric transmission
• Has a current market capitalization of ~$13.6 billion1
• Electric and gas delivery business • Serves 1.2 million electric and 827,000
gas customers• Regulated by Illinois Commerce
Commission • Electric transmission business regulated
by FERC
Ameren Missouri Ameren Illinois Electric Transmission
• Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois invests in regional multi-value projects
• Ameren Illinois invests in local reliability projects
• Regulated by FERC
Ameren Corporation
1 Market cap as of 03.28.2018
Innovation @ Ameren
Today’s Grid
Key Features:Grid – reliability, efficiency, meet peak demandCentral Power Station – one directional energy flowGrid Modernization – aging infrastructureGeneration Portfolio – heavy coal-based, limited renewables and distributed energy resources (DER)Few electric vehiclesHomogenous customer perspective – few special service offeringsLittle-to-no competitionTraditional cost-based and performance-based regulations (PBR)
Industry Overview
Integrated Grid of TomorrowIndustry Overview
Roadmap/2030 Vision
2030 Vision related to Building Integrated Grid of the Future
Innovation Roadmap Swim Lanes: Sell Regulated Products and Services
Achieve step-changes in long-term productivity while dramatically improving the customer experience
Build culture of innovation within Ameren
Develop and deploy Integrated Grid Technologies and Capabilities
Test and mature Integrated Grid business models and regulatory frameworks
Leverage existing and new stakeholder engagement opportunities to influence adoption of constructive energy policies
Innovation @ Ameren
Portfolio
IT DigitalStrategy
Underground Fuel Storage
Intellirupters
Smart Meters
Augmented Reality
3D Printing
Mobile PredictiveMaintenance and
Analytics
O’Fallon Solar Farm
Robotic ProcessAutomation
DER, Solar, Wind CHP
TAC Ameren Microgrid
Solar Subscription
EV Charging Stations
Efficient Electrification
Solar Partnership
Residential Energy Storage
B2B Demand Landscape
Residential Demand
Landscape
Home Energy Monitoring
Advanced Street Lighting
T&D Pole Sensors
Renewable Choice
Program
Volt VAROptimization Laser Cleaning
Revenue Growth Productivity / Cost Savings
Data Analytics
Machine Learning
The Integrated Grid
Smart Cities
Unmanned Aerial Systems
Artificial Intelligence
Strategic Alliances
Ameren Accelerator
Energy ImpactPartners UniversitiesEPRI
Cust
omer
All-In Culture
Innovation @ Ameren
7
Innovation @ Ameren
Discovery Driven Planning
DDP Documentation
Steering Committee
Recommendation
PrototypingAnd Scaling
Project Wrap‐upSteering
Committee Decision
DDP Template
Milestone Checkpoint
Assumptions Updated
Milestone Checkpoint
Assumptions Updated
Ideation Commercialization
CultureInnovation @ Ameren
New Guidance. The Innovation Steering Committee strategically directs the portfolio and champions innovation within their business segments.
New Spaces. The Hub houses several teams to frame and explore ideas, emphasizing collaboration and teamwork.
New Ideas.We cultivate ideas from various sources across the organization.
IdeaHub
Crowd‐sourced ideas Innovation Teams Individuals
DDP
New Methodologies. The Innovation Initiative is using Discovery Driven Planningand Agilemethodologies to help streamline our learning process and project timelines, and Traitify to more effectively build teams.
Ameren AcceleratorInnovation @ Ameren
• /blossom (St. Louis): /blossom is a tool for businesses to connect and gather data and control their resources remotely.
• Hyperion Sensors (Toronto): Hyperion has developed specialized fiber-optic sensors used in utility substations.
• Omega Grid (Chicago): Omega Grid provides market software that removes the revenue risk of distributed generation of utilities, encourages energy investment by property owners, and allows access to lower rates for everyone.
• Rebate Bus (Madison, Wis.): Rebate Bus is a platform for utility programs to deliver instant incentives online.
• SensrTrx (St. Louis): SensrTrx is an industrial analytics application focused on using industrial data to improve uptime, performance and reliability of manufacturing and industrial systems.
• Switched Source (East Lansing, Mich.): Switched Source provides equipment solutions for electric distribution companies that make the grid more resilient and efficient while supporting the integration of more distributed generation.
•WIFIPLUG (Leeds, U.K.): WIFIPLUG produces an app‐controlled smart plug.
Energy Impact Partners
“The world's leading coalition of utilities inventing a new energy future”
“We are backed by some of the world’s largest and most progressive energy companies. Together, we work to identify emerging trends, new technologies and innovative business models to build a better energy future. We are a platform created by utilities and for utilities, working with a proven collaborative investment model.”
Nexus Council: AGL, National Grid, Southern Company, Xcel Energy
Nexus Partners: Alliant Energy, Ameren, Avista, Fortis, Great Plains Energy, Madison Gas & Electric, Oklahoma Gas & Electric, PTT, TEPCO, TransCanada
Industrial Partners: Burns & MacDonald, Investec
Innovation @ Ameren
Energy Impact PartnersInnovation @ Ameren
University/Research Partnerships Ameren has strong connections to local and national universities and research
institutions. University and research partnerships offer benefits to Ameren, universities/institutions, students/interns, and Ameren customers and the community.
In addition to continuing to participate in EPRI (The Electric Power Research Institute), CEO Warner Baxter currently serves as Chair and Director of the Board of Directors.
13
Innovation @ Ameren
St. Louis Entrepreneurial/Start-Up Ecosystem
VentureBeat: “Austin and St. Louis startups show you don’t need the coasts to succeed”
Inc: “How St. Louis Is Redefining Its Economy by Focusing on Startups”
WalletHub: “2017’s Best Large Cities to Start a Business” (#7)
HuffingtonPost: “Don’t Call It a Comeback: St. Louis’ Latest Accolade Is Top City For Millennials”
The Economist: “Millennials really like St Louis”
AgFunderNews: “Is St. Louis the Silicon Valley of Agtech?”
BusinessInsider: “These 10 cities have the fastest-growing startup scenes — and neither New York nor Silicon Valley made the cut” (#1)
FiveThirtyEight: “St. Louis Is The New Startup Frontier”
Popular Mechanics: “The 14 Best Startup Cities in America” (#1)
Midwest Startups: “Best of the Midwest” [Startup City] (#4)
Innovation @ Ameren
St. Louis Entrepreneurial/Start-Up Ecosystem
Innovation @ Ameren
St. Louis Fortune 500/1,000 22. Express Scripts Holding
66. Centene
139. Emerson
204. Monsanto
246. Reinsurance Group of America
403. Edward Jones
420. Graybar Electric
431. Ameren
467. Olin
508. Post Holdings
533. Peabody
760. Panera Bread
785. Stifel Financial
790. Caleres
845. Edgewell Personal Care
846. Belden
946. Arch Capital
Also home to Enterprise Holdings, Nestle Purina, and world-class university/health providers such as BJC/Washington University in St. Louis, and St. Louis University
Innovation @ Ameren
Start-Up EngagementInnovation @ Ameren
Positives Challenges• Sales/Growth focused
• “GSD” attitude
• Agile
• Want to work with you
• Cutting/Bleeding edge
• See world differently
• Focused on change
• Focused on new markets
• Focused on meeting customer needs
• Focused on addressing the discontent
• Legal hurdles
• Contracting hurdles
• Cyber/IT hurdles
• Cultural differences
• Easily frustrated with utility speed
• Will they be around in two years?
• Overpromise & under deliver threat
• “Shiny Object Syndrome”
• “Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM”
Questions