How MRE UK Transformed Planning and Reporting with IBM Planning Analytics

IBM Business Analytics Solution – IBM Planning Analytics

Services – Consultancy and Training

About MRE UK

Melton Renewable Energy (MRE UK) is one of the UK’s leading independent renewable energy generators, with a portfolio totalling 165MW of installed capacity. Through its biomass business, MRE UK owns and operates the largest independent biomass-only power station portfolio in the UK. Through its landfill gas business, the group operates methane-powered generation assets across 19 landfill sites nationwide.

The Challenge

MRE UK relied on multiple spreadsheet models to support its planning and reporting processes. Each generating station, along with the landfill gas business, maintained its own model, prepared at the start of each month by financial controllers. This approach increased the risk of data loss, made it difficult to maintain historical information and introduced unnecessary manual effort into the planning process.

As the business grew, MRE UK wanted to move away from spreadsheets and automate as much of its planning as possible. The finance team needed a single, integrated platform that could support planning, budgeting, forecasting and analysis while retaining the flexibility of spreadsheets without the associated risk.

The Solution

Aramar worked with MRE UK to implement IBM Planning Analytics, delivering a centralised, automated planning and reporting solution. The implementation introduced driver-based planning for profit and loss, alongside automated cash flow and balance sheet reporting across monthly forecasts, budgets and the group’s long-term plan.

A key part of the project was MRE UK adopting Aramar’s train-and-mentor approach. Rather than relying on a single expert user, a team of five was trained to use and maintain the system. This significantly reduced operational risk and enabled the finance team to answer most technical questions internally, without the need for ongoing external support.

The Results

IBM Planning Analytics has had a significant impact on MRE UK’s financial planning and reporting capabilities. The platform is now used to produce all management accounts, budgets and forecasts, from group level down to individual generating assets.

By replacing spreadsheet models with a central, enterprise-class planning solution, MRE UK has increased the speed, consistency and reliability of its reporting. Planning cycles are faster, scenario modelling is more flexible and the finance team has far greater confidence in the numbers being presented to the business.