- What do you think are the main challenges for energy companies regarding communication?
The energy industry is largely made up of engineers who speak a different language than the average person. The industry is relatively insulated and has historically rarely had a need to communicate with audiences beyond their own key stakeholders, who are typically of the industry ilk. In times of crisis, for example the BP deep water horizon matter or PG&E’s thermal events, we see the vulnerabilities of the insulated industry’s communication gap.
- What do you think are the biggest opportunities today for energy companies as it relates to communications?
The energy industry is at the heart of the biggest challenge globally – climate change. There is a huge opportunity to demystify the why and how of what we do, and also what our trajectory looks like in a way that connects with industries beyond our own. For example, for us at Grid United, we are primarily focused on high voltage direct current transmission, a modern technology not yet widely adopted in the US. Due to the heavily regulated nature of our industry, we do not move at the pace of the tech or financial industries, but it doesn’t mean that we don’t still have exciting, relevant, and critically important things to say in an accessible way.
- What lessons have you learned about simplifying complex concepts/technologies for branding and communications?
It’s imperative to be able to translate the complexity for broader audiences. We have an ever increasingly intertwined economy where we can no longer operate in silos and thus are required to ensure that we can and do communicate beyond our own industry walls.
- If you were to capture the best communications advice that you’ve ever received as a 5-7 word presentation slide title what would that be?
If it doesn’t make sense to you, don’t write it.
- What are you most looking forward to this year at CHARGE?
Meeting and connecting with communication peers in the energy industry.
Grid United is an independent transmission developer. We develop large scale high voltage energy infrastructure projects that are urgently needed, but would otherwise not get built.
