Peter MacLeod speaks to Nick Hay of Wattstor, who describes how logistics businesses can go from energy risk to competitive advantage in one fell swoop.
Energy sometimes flies under the radar of logistics operators, yet rising electricity prices, grid constraints and electrification are pushing it firmly into the operational spotlight. For Wattstor, a next-generation energy company supplying commercial and industrial customers with locally produced, smartly managed renewable electricity, that shift represents both challenge and opportunity.
Nick Hay (pictured, below) joined Wattstor last summer as an industry advisor, bringing his decades of logistics experience from senior leadership roles at Fowler Welch and Gist with him. His decision to get involved was rooted in a long-standing interest in efficiency and sustainability, combined with a belief that Wattstor offers something genuinely practical for logistics businesses.
“I have always been close to energy efficiency,” Hay tells me. “From early adoption of telematics through to ESG leadership, I have seen how technology can drive real change. What attracted me to Wattstor was not just the ambition, but the fact that the solution is viable and delivers tangible benefits.”
Operational Realities
At the heart of Wattstor’s proposition is the idea that energy systems should be designed around the operational realities of each site. Warehouses face growing pressure from automation, temperature control and electrification, while grid connectivity is increasingly a limiting factor. As Hay points out, energy availability has already forced some developers to walk away from otherwise attractive logistics locations.
Grid constraints are only part of the challenge. Demand profiles across logistics operations can fluctuate sharply throughout the day, particularly where electric vehicles or handling equipment are involved. Charging fleets simultaneously can create short but significant peaks in demand, driving up costs and network charges.
This is where Wattstor’s combination of onsite renewables, battery energy storage and intelligent energy management comes into play. By balancing grid supply with solar generation and battery capacity, Wattstor helps operators manage peak demand while reducing exposure to rising grid charges.
“The clever part is how you balance those elements,” says Hay. “You reduce the maximum draw from the grid, which lowers fixed charges, while still ensuring the power is there when you need it. When electricity is cheap, you charge the battery. When it is expensive, you avoid buying or export back to the grid.”
That approach underpins Wattstor’s Price Protect tariff, refined with direct input from Hay’s logistics background. Designed to guarantee electricity prices below market levels while providing an absolute price cap, Price Protect also allows customers to benefit when wholesale prices fall. Recent financing of up to £50 million will support the rollout of more than 15 projects over the next two years in both the UK and large parts of mainland Europe, signalling confidence in the model.
Energy Price Hike
With an electricity price hike expected in the UK this April, many logistics operators are already feeling exposed. Amy Wilson, Chief Marketing Officer at Wattstor (pictured, below), says early engagement is critical. “The businesses most affected already know they have an issue,” she explains. “The earlier we assess a customer’s energy profile, the quicker we can identify how to reduce cost, carbon and risk.”
Wattstor’s ability to model a site quickly using existing consumption data allows operators to see potential benefits within days, reflecting the reality that no two logistics operations consume energy in the same way.
A good example is pharmaceutical distributor Mawdsleys, which worked with Wattstor to optimise solar generation across its warehouse estate. The project enabled Mawdsleys to move closer to net zero while overcoming grid limitations and improving long-term cost certainty, without disrupting daily operations.
Longer-Term Prize
Beyond immediate savings, electrification offers a longer-term prize for logistics. Hay argues that predictable electricity pricing could remove one of the sector’s biggest historic variables: “If you can combine electrified fleets with long-term electricity price certainty, you suddenly have far more control over fuel costs. That stability is hugely attractive in a sector built on tight margins.”
Looking ahead, Hay sees energy strategy becoming a competitive differentiator. Operators that understand their energy profiles and act early will be better placed to expand, electrify and absorb future shocks. “Early adopters will do really well,” he concludes. “In a world full of variables, removing uncertainty around energy cost and supply can become a real advantage.”
