The Green Transformation of the Energy Market – How Can Digitalization Support the Change?

Digitalization: A Path to a Successful Energy Transition?

The digital transformation of the energy industry is an integral part of the energy transition. It is one of the largest IT projects of all time. In the future, many new and decentralized producers of renewable forms of energy will enter the market. These will have to be connected to the grid, and their fluctuating production will have to be balanced. This means utilities will have to manage large data streams, e.g., data on feed-in, local consumption or even grid operation.

In addition, there are new requirements on the customer side, for example due to electromobility.

Among the questions that RWE board member Zvezdana Seeger discussed at the event are:

• Does digitalization automatically lead to a smart green world in which efficient energy and resource consumption takes place?
• How can digitalization help make energy demand more flexible?
• And what risks or countervailing effects does it entail, for example through more energy-intensive services?

General Information on the Presentation

The event was part of the series "The future of digitalization - catalyst or obstacle course for the German economy and society?".

With regard to digital transformation, the coronavirus crisis was an important litmus test, revealing immense potential and incredible dynamics. Within weeks, companies offered virtual work on a broad front, retailers and restaurants found ways to transfer some of their offerings to the Internet. At the same time, however, it also uncovered glaring gaps and inertia. Health policy was practically incapable of action because the hospital and government systems were not sufficiently digitalized and networked. Schools and universities revealed infrastructures from the past century.

• What will remain in the coming years?
• Were successes only temporary solutions, or will we feel the progress sustainably?
• Have we learned something about the success factors of data-based business models?
• Can we measure the extent to which our digital skills have improved?
• Are we now better off in international comparison?