John Griffiths: Smarter switchgear for a smarter grid
Lucy Electric CEO John Griffiths discusses how innovation, collaboration, and digital intelligence can strengthen Europe’s grids for a decarbonised future.
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UK, England, Thame: As Europe accelerates its transition towards renewable energy, Lucy Electric’s Chief Executive Officer, John Griffiths, emphasises that the key to success lies in smarter switchgear, collaboration, and innovation. Speaking ahead of Enlit Europe in Bilbao, Griffiths outlines how resilient networks and skilled partnerships will be essential to meeting rising electricity demand.
Griffiths explains that while the continent has made significant progress in shifting from coal to renewables, the next phase of greater decentralisation and digitalisation will be more complex and demand closer collaboration across the entire energy value chain. “Utilities, generators and technology developers need the reassurance of engineering-driven and innovative supply partners to tackle the harder parts of the transition,” he says.
By 2030, electricity demand is expected to rise by 60 %, with network resilience now a non-negotiable requirement for economic growth. Griffiths stresses that Europe’s energy security will depend on reducing fossil fuel imports, expanding interconnections, and deploying smart grid technologies that balance flexibility with stability.
Lucy Electric’s innovations, such as the non-SF₆ Aegis EcoTec Ring Main Units, are helping utilities decarbonise their networks. At the same time, AI-enabled monitoring and predictive fault detection are transforming grids into intelligent systems capable of anticipating issues before they cause outages.
Yet, the biggest challenge ahead, Griffiths warns, is not technological but human. “The industry lacks the skilled workforce necessary to deliver on investment,” he says. Bridging this talent gap will require investment in STEM education, apprenticeships, and retraining, ensuring the next generation of engineers can support the energy transition.
Lucy Electric is addressing these challenges through its long-term partnerships with utilities in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. By tailoring digital and automation solutions to local conditions, the company enables operators to modernise networks without large-scale replacements, improving resilience while reducing downtime.
For Griffiths, the path to net zero requires not only technology and policy but also a proactive mindset shift. “Stable, resilient electricity is critical for hospitals, airports, and daily life. We must move from reactive to predictive maintenance, shining a light on the blind spots of our networks,” Griffiths concludes.
With innovation, collaboration, and smarter switchgear at its core, Lucy Electric aims to help Europe build the resilient, renewable-ready energy systems its future depends on.
Source: Enlit
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