Powering the Future: Digital Innovation as the Key to Smarter, More Reliable, and Widespread Renewable Energy

Although many decision-makers view renewable energy adoption as essential for a greener future, they also know the associated initiatives require ongoing collaboration, analysis and research. How could digital innovations accelerate progress and address challenges?

Mapping the Electric Grid With Digital Twins

Digital twins are highly realistic versions of physical assets that allow users to manipulate circumstances and run various scenarios to study the likely outcomes. Those activities let them identify potential issues early and experiment with problem-solving approaches in controlled environments before committing to real-world changes. These resources let manufacturers save on prototyping costs or assist construction crews in effectively planning remodeling projects. However, researchers have also applied the technology to electricity infrastructure. 

The TwinEU consortium project will attempt to map the continent’s entire electric grid. This work — funded by the European Union’s research and innovation arm — involves 77 partners from 15 nations, including academic institutions and utility industry entities.

Participants will develop and test various digital twin technologies and demonstrate their capabilities to stakeholders. Because this project can illuminate the likely ramifications of grid interruptions and suggest ways to solve them, it enables users to investigate how renewable energies could alleviate those stresses. Similarly, it may reveal how to update existing electricity frameworks to equip grids for rising electric vehicle adoption rates and other trends aligning with a more sustainable future. 

Facilitating Renewable Energy Adoption in Aid Organizations

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Successful renewable energy implementation necessitates focusing on segments that may struggle to move to greener power sources and supporting them appropriately. Action Against Hunger is a global humanitarian aid organization responding to the causes and effects of food scarcity. Its representatives built the web-based Renewable Energies for Assisting Communities Tool (REact) to help nonprofit managers assess infrastructure needs and evaluate green solutions. 

Building this free and first-of-its-kind resource included seeking advice from 40 nongovernmental organizations and United Nations agencies. The resulting user-friendly product supports users in making accurate, relevant assessments, even without technical backgrounds. It makes appropriate calculations while accounting for regional geographies and aid organization aims, such as improving sanitation, providing shelter or increasing safe water access. 

Although developers initially created REact for mission-critical emergency response operations, it also aids community planning, such as by suggesting designs for neighborhood solar projects that allow residents to switch to electric cooking systems rather than continuing to use open fires and worsening air quality. Additionally, the tool’s information can enhance aid groups’ impact by facilitating renewable energy adoption, mainly when limited access to costly fossil fuels restricts their activities in conflict or disaster zones. 

Decarbonizing aid efforts minimizes the adverse health effects of conventional generators and other dirty power sources frequently used in emergencies. Lowering local pollution especially impacts vulnerable groups, which often require above-average levels of humanitarian assistance.

Easing Transitions to Greener Fleets

Because fleet managers oversee dozens or hundreds of vehicles used in daily operations, these professionals can encourage widespread adoption of eco-friendly versions that allow companies to switch from fossil fuels to clean electricity or make other sustainable changes. Although such efforts take time, they align with sustainability goals and cause measurable improvements to save money and increase reliability. 

However, many leaders want proof of the anticipated benefits before approving widespread changes. They can get that assurance by using apps and website portals to search for rental equipment. Those options familiarize them with numerous possibilities. For example, some vehicles run on 20% biodiesel and 80% conventional diesel, accommodating a gradual shift to greener fuels. Others have energy-efficient and emissions-reducing features to support environmentally responsible operations. 

Short-term agreements support decision-makers’ budgets and allow them to test rented, sustainable models on jobsites and integrate them into routes. Applications also exist that facilitate equipment swaps, creating revenue-generating opportunities for asset owners wishing to increase overall utilization rates. 

Fleet professionals have numerous avenues to explore while considering greener purchases. Rentals provide an accessible middle ground that gives them time to research different brands and models, learn about features and assess real-world impacts before purchasing upgrades. 

Enabling Renewable Energy Construction

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Many construction leaders use various digital tools to prevent rework, preserve resources and maintain safety. Building information modeling platforms empower teams to achieve 92% goal-achievement rates, while cloud-based project management offerings help managers assess operational needs. 

Contractors working on renewable projects also use purpose-built resources to evaluate sites, overcome challenges and calculate the best ways to meet clients’ requirements. The United States Department of Energy uses data analysis tools to create annual cost benchmarks for photovoltaic systems. 

Authorities associated with three national laboratories collect data from solar industry stakeholders during a survey of relevant transactions in the first quarter of the year. Questions center on costs to install, operate and maintain systems and assess their total expenses throughout the estimated service life. 

One model includes eight categories of overnight capital expenses for installed solar infrastructure. Each group contains up to 12 cost-related elements that reveal the average costs for modules and inverters, plus lesser-considered aspects, such as off-site administrative work. 

These studies also include statistics for levelized electricity rates and estimates for residential rooftop installations. That information empowers decision-makers to make data-backed conclusions about new renewable energy projects and have mutually beneficial discussions with interested parties. 

Assessing Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Needs

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Electric vehicles' increased affordability and availability have steadily raised adoption rates among sustainability-minded consumers. However, charging infrastructure gaps cause hesitation, especially when drivers plan to use their cars for cross-country trips. 

U.S. federal researchers used various digital tools to create an extensive improvement plan. The proposed charging infrastructure upgrades could support up to 42 million passenger EVs by 2030. One platform estimated the chargers required for drivers’ daily commutes and errands, while another assessed the enhancements to facilitate long-distance travel on the nation’s highways. The analysis also examined the impact of ride-hailing services — such as Uber and Lyft — on the suggested changes. These brands often feature EVs in their fleets, catering to passengers who prefer sustainable transportation. 

The group also remained flexible by using simulation tools that estimate different total numbers of EVs. Examining those fluctuations helps them reduce adverse impacts through better preparedness.

However, because electric vehicles recharge on existing grid infrastructure, the percentage of that power derived from fossil fuels versus renewables varies. Many utility providers regularly increase sustainable investments, responding to growing customer demands. Those leaders can optimize spending with data analysis platforms and other digital innovations to deepen their influence on a clean energy future. 

Supporting a Renewable-Enabled Infrastructure

Adapting existing utility grids for green energy requires careful planning and a proactive mindset. Strategically adopting digital innovations also increases success rates by facilitating accurate calculations, better collaboration and purposeful upgrades.