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The integration of digital technologies with energy and mobility systems is crucial for achieving these sustainability goals. A recent report by Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology FIT, supported by the DG CONNECT, explores the transformative potential of digital infrastructures in order to advance decarbonisation at the nexus of energy and mobility.
The need for cross-sectoral integration
To meet the EU's 'Net Zero by 2050' objective, significant investments are required to interconnect the energy sector with mobility, industry, building, and agriculture. Electrification plays a vital role in reducing carbon emissions across these sectors. However, the annual infrastructure investment gap in the EU, amounting to over €406 billion, poses a significant challenge. Bridging this gap is essential to enable the green transition through innovative cross-sectoral use cases, such as bidirectional charging of electric vehicles (EVs).
The concept of the Digital Spine
The Digital Spine is a concept designed to address the infrastructure investment gaps by leveraging advanced digital technologies. By facilitating decentralised intelligence across sectors, the Digital Spine enhances the efficiency and sustainability of existing infrastructures. This digital layer enables the optimal use of renewable energy sources (RES) across sectors, reducing the need for extensive physical infrastructure investments.
The Digital Spine focuses on improving communication and standardisation of digital infrastructures, particularly at the interfaces of different sectors. This streamlined deployment of renewable energy solutions and energy flexibility measures accelerates progress towards sustainability goals while ensuring long-term economic competitiveness in Europe.
Role of Generative AI in the Digital Spine
Generative AI (GenAI) is a powerful instrument to address the ambitious challenges of many energy and mobility-related topics. In the energy area, it has the potential to optimise the smart grid and intelligently integrate emerging infrastructures, such as renewable energy sources, smart metering, EV charging, and smart buildings.
- Predicting energy production: GenAI can predict energy production from renewable sources by analysing vast amounts of data, including historical usage, weather patterns, and demographics. This enables more accurate and reliable energy forecasting.
- Coordinating EV charging: By coordinating EV charging times to avoid peak demand periods, GenAI can help in balancing the load on the grid and preventing overloads.
- Automating energy-efficient practices: Within smart buildings, GenAI could automate energy-efficient practices, such as adjusting heating, ventilation, and lighting based on occupancy and external conditions.
Key building blocks for transformation
The Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology FIT report identifies four critical Building Blocks that leverage digital technologies to implement cross-sectoral use cases essential for the green and digital transformation of industries:
- Enabling bidirectional charging by digital identity management: This involves creating digital identities for EVs to enable seamless and secure bidirectional charging services. Digital identity management ensures user-centric authentication, secure data exchange, and real-time coordination of charging services across various networks and service providers.
- Establishing cross-border bidirectional EV charging infrastructure: Interconnecting national and sectoral registries through interoperable interfaces facilitates seamless data exchange. This integration is crucial for enabling EV users to access bidirectional charging services across Europe, enhancing grid stability and renewable energy utilisation.
- Connecting bidirectional charging with smart energy applications: Smart energy applications provide comprehensive insights into energy consumption, solar generation, and heat pump operations. These applications enable users to optimise their energy usage, switch between self-supply and grid services, and participate in local energy trading. Effective use of smart energy applications can reduce energy costs by up to 20% (c.f. Tennet, Plexigrid).
- Building cross-sector connections to close digital infrastructure gaps: Strengthening cross-sectoral collaboration and integrating digital technologies at the nexus of energy and mobility is essential. This involves developing a holistic digital infrastructure that supports the integration of various sector activities, driving decarbonisation and sustainability. Notably, the Union has committed to increasing its renewable energy capacity to 1,200 GW by 2030, a significant leap from the current 511 GW of installed capacity.
Immediate actions and policy recommendations
To accelerate the adoption of these building blocks, immediate action at the European level is required. Channelling infrastructure investments towards initiatives that support the development of a cross-sectoral Digital Spine is essential. Policymakers should define key performance indicators to monitor the adoption of digital infrastructures and foster enhanced collaboration between public and private institutions. Continued research and development are necessary to refine and expand digital solutions for sustainable outcomes. Prioritising investments in digital infrastructures is essential for advancing long-term economic prosperity and environmental sustainability.
Conclusion
The integration of digital infrastructures and Generative AI with energy and mobility sectors is a cornerstone of the EU's strategy to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The Digital Spine and its building blocks offer practical solutions for building a sustainable, interconnected, and competitive European economy. By harnessing advanced digital technologies, Europe can fast-track its green transition, cut carbon emissions, and bolster its industries through a more efficient and resilient energy system.
Tags:
#Decarbonisation #DigitalInfrastructure #Sustainability #EU #Energy #Mobility #GreenTransition #RenewableEnergy #Digitalisationofenergy #emobility #charging #internetofthings #IoT #GenAI #ArtificialIntelligence
Links:
- Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology FIT
- Digitalisation of the Energy system
- DG CONNECT Accelerating the Digital Transformation of the European Energy System
- Commission's webpages on Renewable Energy Targets and Delivering the European Green Deal
- Europe's Internet of Things Policy