Unlocking the future of energy with adaptive cloud
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By embracing the adaptive cloud, energy providers can future-proof operations, strengthen security and build the resilient energy systems of tomorrow, writes Bilal Khursheed, Worldwide Power and Utilities Leader, Energy and Resources Industry, Microsoft.
As utilities adapt to increasing electrification, grid modernisation and distributed energy, traditional operational technology (OT) environments are being pushed to their limits.
At the same time, energy providers must navigate an increasingly complex regulatory landscape, from European data sovereignty laws and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to cybersecurity mandates like the North American Electric Reliability Corporation Critical Infrastructure Protection (NERC CIP).
While cloud adoption accelerates, critical OT systems require hybrid architectures to ensure operational continuity, compliance and secure integration with real-time grid control.
The challenge: How can energy providers unlock cloud potential while keeping mission-critical operations secure, resilient and interoperable with legacy infrastructure?
Adaptive cloud: The bridge between IT, OT and AI
Microsoft’s adaptive cloud approach unifies IT and OT seamlessly, bringing together on-premises control systems and edge intelligence with cloud-scale analytics.
Rather than forcing an all-or-nothing migration, it provides a scalable, secure framework for energy providers to:
- Integrate on-premises systems with cloud-driven intelligence while meeting compliance requirements
- Utilise AI and real-time data streaming to enhance efficiency, resilience, and reliability
- Strengthen cybersecurity with built-in zero trust protections
- Support edge computing for localised grid control
With a foundation built on Microsoft Azure, energy providers can scale AI and cloud-native capabilities while ensuring secure, efficient operations across IT and OT environments.
Meeting growing demand with critical efficiencies
As energy demand surges, utilities must balance security, sustainability and efficiency. Microsoft’s adaptive cloud framework helps drive improvements such as:
- Secure integration of cloud AI with critical OT systems: Securely connect many grid control systems to cloud-based AI and analytics without disrupting mission-critical workflows.
- Enhanced security: Improve security measures and enable quick responses, ensuring that energy systems are protected against evolving cyber threats.
- Faster data analytics: Run enterprise systems in Azure faster, improve decision-making based on real-time data, and support cloud-based, high-speed analytics that ingest, process and visualise terabytes of operational data from the grid.
- Compliance with global regulatory and data sovereignty requirements: Energy companies must navigate a complex web of regional regulations, including:
- GDPR (European Union) – Data privacy and protection regulations
- Schrems II Ruling (European Union) – Restrictions on data transfers from the EU to third countries
- ISO 27001 & IEC 62443 – International cybersecurity frameworks for industrial control systems.
With Azure’s hybrid capabilities, utilities can process sensitive data on-premises or within sovereign cloud regions while still utilizing cloud-scale AI and automation.
- Edge computing for low latency control and decision-making: Adaptive cloud allows real-time decision-making at the grid edge while still syncing with cloud-based AI for broader optimisation.
- Increased scalability and flexibility: Remain agile with changing demands.
Global energy leaders unlocking new value with Azure
Microsoft helps energy providers optimise efficiency and decision-making through cloud solutions while addressing challenges like data regulations and legacy systems.
Uniper, the world’s largest power generation company, used Azure Arc, Monitor and Stack HCI to standardise IT and OT management, ensuring compliance and accelerating service deployment. This translated to launching orders more quickly, bringing new services to market faster, and building new systems with just a few clicks.
Another energy leader, Emirates Global Aluminum (EGA), adopted Azure Arc to integrate private and public cloud services, improving AI processing, reducing latency and achieving 86% cost savings in AI-powered operations.
By utilising adaptive cloud strategies, both companies enhanced performance, security and scalability, demonstrating how Microsoft empowers energy leaders to modernise infrastructure and drive sustainable innovation.
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As energy companies strive towards a sustainable future, Microsoft is uniquely positioned to help make real progress by setting the stage for significant value-adds.
By partnering with Microsoft, energy providers can:
- Unify IT and OT systems across on-premises, edge and cloud
- Meet global regulatory and compliance requirements
- Enhance cybersecurity with real-time threat detection
- Scale AI and analytics to improve efficiency and resilience.
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About the author
Bilal Khursheed, Worldwide Power and Utilities Leader, Microsoft
With nearly two decades at the forefront of the power and utilities (P&U) industry, Bilal Khursheed holds the role of Worldwide Power & Utilities Leader at Microsoft, leading its go-to-market strategy for P&U. He partners closely with P&U companies globally, governments, policy makers, and Fortune 500 executives to shape the future of the energy industry. His diverse leadership roles have spanned transmission and distribution, nuclear operations, and the pivotal realm of digital transformation. Renowned for merging innovation with tangible results, Bilal drives Microsoft’s Global P&U vision and dedicates his expertise championing sustainability and mentoring the next generation of industry leaders.
About Microsoft
Transform the energy and resources industry and achieve net zero with technology innovation to deliver safe, reliable, carbon-free energy for a sustainable future. By uniting AI and data platforms, as well as productivity, intelligent cloud and intelligent edge, Microsoft enables companies to solve their most complex challenges, accelerate the energy transition and deliver better outcomes.
