Accelerating Sustainable Energy Development through Industry 4.0 Technologies

Abstract

Utilizing Industry 4.0 technologies to create a sustainable energy industry enables a decentralized energy system in which energy can be effectively produced, managed, and controlled from local resources. Furthermore, the technologies also enable data capture and analysis to improve energy performance. As digital energy is being developed and increasingly decentralized, renewable energy is now a more attractive option for creating sustainable development. The technologies are capable of integrating different energy sources to respond to an increasingly demanding and distributed market by providing sustainable and efficient resources. The technologies of the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) are already being used in the energy sector to transform the business processes of the industry. Energy management systems based on emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT), big data, blockchain, and machine learning (ML), have been used to support industry players in analyzing the energy market, improving the supply–demand chain, real-time monitoring, and generating more options for using alternative sources of energy, such as storage devices, fuel cells, and intelligent energy performance. The optimization of the energy industry can be achieved through energy production and distribution efficiency by the digitization of manufacturing processes and service delivery. Optimized energy pricing and capital resources, predictive operation and maintenance plans, efficiency of energy usage, and further maximizing asset lifetime and usage are among the solutions produced from the technologies of Industry 4.0. These technologies are set to transform the energy industry to being more sustainable. This transformation has happened through the provision of integrated information in both planning and operational processes. Industry 4.0 technologies contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of energy product life-cycles and value chains, therefore impacting business strategies to produce better energy management systems.         Smart energy ecosystems that employ cyber-physical systems enhance all production and consumption energy chain processes. Smart applications in energy production and usage consumption processes can be used efficiently in managing and optimizing energy, such as by storing energy on demand or reducing consumption. Utilizing Industry 4.0 technologies to create a sustainable energy industry enables a decentralized energy system in which energy can be effectively produced, managed, and controlled from local resources. Furthermore, the technologies also enable data capture and analysis to improve energy performance. As digital energy is being developed and increasingly decentralized, renewable energy is now a more attractive option for creating sustainable development. The technologies are capable of integrating different energy sources to respond to an increasingly demanding and distributed market by providing sustainable and efficient resources.