The article deals with a promising approach to solving the problem of investment in the regional electric power industry -the application of demand-side management, the essence of which lies in proactive interaction of energy companies with customers, based on the balance of economic interests. Keywords: demand-side management for energy, energy efficiency, load management, demonstration experiment, the investment mechanism, innovations, market economyThe Energy Strategy of Russia through to 2030 proclaims a need for a transition from the raw materials model of power generation to a smart one that is based on breakthrough technological innovations. The document points out that achieving the goal requires investing some 2,500 billion dollars in the energy sector in the next 20 years, including 600 to 900 billion dollars in power generation. The primary sources of finance include Russian and foreign companies' own funds, loans, funds raised from additional share issues and government subsidies [5], i. e., standard investment mechanisms.Meanwhile, a number of advanced solutions to the problem of investment in the electrical power industry has been used abroad but has not been given due consideration in Russia. The most effective one is the application of demand-side management (DSM) -proactive methods of economic interaction between energy suppliers and

In order to ensure their market sustainability, it is essential for energy-intensive industrial companies to address the issues of efficient energy use. Companies that are prepared to embrace tariff hikes, structural changes in fuel and energy markets, and a shortage of energy resources have a wider range of options to respond to the new challenges posed by the external environment and to reduce their risks. This task becomes particularly relevant in the context of the development of the circular economy that is aimed at resource optimization, energy conservation, zero-waste manufacturing, and business models that are based on maximum operational efficiency. This study aims to develop a methodology for rational behavior of the energy consumer in the context of the circular economy. The concept of “rational behavior” is defined by the authors as the intention to make the maximum use of the advantages and potential of energy markets in order to reduce the cost of energy supply, increase the level of electrification in industrial production, and use the capabilities of their own energy business. The article describes the main principles of rational behavior that serve as the foundation for effective implementation of various strategies (that of the seller, buyer, or both) in a company. A link is shown between rational behavior and energy market potential management in a company as a mix of technological, economic, and organizational activities performed by the energy consumer in a competitive market and effective market risk management. Forms of off-grid power supply and conditions for their application in manufacturing, for example, mini-combined heat and power (CHP) plants and quadgeneration plants at large metallurgical facilities were analyzed.

The objectives of this study are to substantiate the principles of advance education and the requirements for the new generation of educational programs aimed at developing competences for the design, manufacture, operation and maintenance of complex industrial systems integrated into intellectual production, environments, and robotic systems. The study included formulating a hypothesis, refining the conceptual framework, creating the necessary empirical base, reviewing the cases of world leading universities, and presenting and substantiating the main features of advance management education that meet the current challenges. A flexible modular architecture of the educational process was developed which allows making timely adjustments to the content and teaching methods to include new knowledge. The experience of testing the results obtained in consulting practice, in teaching master's degree students at Ural Federal University (Russia) and in educational projects for leaders and breakthrough teams of large energy corporations is described. The academic novelty of the results lies in the comprehensive examination of the issue of advance education, the conditions and the tools for its implementation within the framework of the proactive management methodology developed by the authors for sustainable business development in a revolutionary and changing industrial landscape.

No abstract

Industrial technology modernization requires solutions to the problems of the complex systems evolution. Entities involved in the process of modernization lack unified centralized control and act as standalone businesses, while stakeholders in the processes pursue their own, all too often conflicting interests. Having to operate amid severe external uncertainty, these standalone businesses act as isolated agents, with their make-up changing at different periods, yet the success of technology modernization depends on their coordinated action. It is critical for the success of the system evolution to have enough highly qualified personnel with expertise and competencies, engineering and economic ones in the first place, that match the complexity of the systems being managed.The article analyzes the tasks that pop up throughout the course of modernization. The analysis is used as a basis for defining engineering and economic competencies and for substantiating their significance as a key resource of the industrial systems of the future. This assumption finds a confirmation in a summary of appropriate global trends done by the authors.Systems engineering is used as a case of the application of the competencies as part of methodologies that were created in response to challenges associated with the growing complexity of technological and organizational systems.The study also gives examples of the need for engineering and economic competencies arising in the course of technology modernization in the electric power industry.