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Commission sets out actions to digitise the energy sector to improve efficiency and integration of renewables
* The European Green Deal and the REPowerEU plan require a profound transformation of our energy system, which must become more interactive and smarter to help consumers reap the benefits of the green transition.
Tuesday, 18 October, the Commission presented an action plan highlighting how new technologies can contribute to improving the efficient use of energy resources, facilitating the integration of renewables into the electricity grid and reducing costs for EU consumers and businesses in the energy sector.
The Commission sets out actions to boost data sharing, promote investment in digital electricity infrastructure, deliver benefits for consumers and strengthen cybersecurity. As data centres and the growing appetite for online services require more and more resources from our energy system, the plan also presents ways to decouple the ICT sector’s energy footprint from exponential data growth. The green and digital transitions must go hand in hand.
Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson said: “The European Green Deal and a Europe fit for the digital age are two central priorities of the current Commission and go hand in hand. The aim is to make our energy system more efficient and prepared for increasing the share of renewables. To this end, we need more innovative digital solutions and a much smarter and more interactive electricity grid than today. The Action Plan will help unlock the potential for digitalisation of the energy sector and the significant energy savings it can provide, for the benefit of all consumers.”
Key actions to digitise the energy sector
In some areas of the energy sector, such as electric vehicles, photovoltaic installations and heat pumps, there are already digital and smart technologies that need support to expand. In other areas, our energy system is just beginning to reap the benefits of digitalisation.
In the coming months and years, the Commission intends to take various measures to boost digital energy services while ensuring an energy-efficient ICT sector, including:
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helping consumers to increase control over their energy consumption and bills through new digital tools and services, with a robust governance framework for a common European energy data space;
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controlling energy consumption in the ICT sector, including through an ecolabelling system for data centres, an energy label for computers, measures to increase transparency in the energy consumption of telecommunications services and an energy efficiency label for blockchains;
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strengthening the cybersecurity of energy networks through new legislation, including a network code for cybersecurity aspects of cross-border electricity flows under the EU Electricity Regulation and the Council Recommendation on improving the resilience of critical infrastructures.
The Commission will continue to provide financial support to R & I and stimulate the uptake of digital technologies in the energy sector through the Digital Europe Programme, LIFE, Cohesion Funds and a flagship programme for energy digitalisation under Horizon Europe. In cooperation with the European Green Digital Coalition, the Commission will continue to develop tools and methodologies to measure the net environmental and climate impact of enabling digital technologies in the energy sector.