NEWS
Danish Defence sets up 2,000 vehicles with Fleet Complete carsharing solution
Octopus Energy Group establishes new tech hub in Manchester with acquisition of Upside Energy
Danish Defence subscribed its 2,000 service vehicles for Fleet Complete ’ s fleet management and carsharing solution . Through an online mobile reservation system , the Defence will be able to improve access to vehicles for its personnel nationwide and maximise the use of assets for more economical and environmentally responsible operations .
The pool of vehicles comprises regular cars , mini-vans and other service transport used by the Defence staff across Denmark . The carsharing app will accommodate all employees with RFID access , minimising the need for keys . The in-app booking system will suggest to users the closest available vehicle upon request and pinpoint its location on a web map for easy pickup with their driver ID card .
Carsharing is an effective means of reducing an organisation ’ s operating costs and ensuring better utilisation of existing vehicles in the fleet . The administrators get full visibility into what vehicles are being driven , where , how often and by whom . Usage reports provide clear data on whether vehicles are located in the best spot according to employees ’ needs and whether they are used in the most optimal way .
Additional reporting on maintenance and driving behaviour provides insight into personnel safety and conduct on the road . With more efficient allocation and use of resources , the fleet drives fewer kilometres , consumes less fuel and lowers CO 2 emissions as a result , contributing to greener , costeffective operations .
Tech unicorn , Octopus Energy Group , has announced the acquisition of Upside Energy , a leading energy software company based in Manchester .
The move establishes the base of UK energy pioneer , Octopus ’ s new technology innovation centre , first announced during a visit by the Prime Minister and the Chancellor to the company ’ s London office .
The new energy technology ( EnTech ) hub will play a pivotal role in achieving Octopus Energy ’ s ambition of making the UK the ‘ Silicon Valley of Energy ’.
It will help develop the smart grid technologies required for a green energy system and the electrification of transport and heating . Octopus Energy ’ s teams in Manchester , London and
Silicon Valley will work closely together to help deliver digital solutions which automatically warm homes and charge cars when energy is greenest . Upside Energy was founded in 2014 with a vision to enable people to make greener energy choices . Its cloud-based platform connects with clean energy technologies such as electric vehicles , heat pumps and batteries , allowing it to manage those devices to match real-time energy demand and supply .
This helps to balance the grid and enables customers to capitalise on cheaper , greener power . Upside has established an impressive customer base with both utilities and asset owners across the energy industry which Octopus plans to build on while rapidly expanding Upside ’ s capabilities internationally and into the consumer sphere .
10 INTELLIGENTCIO www . intelligentcio . com