Digitalisation

Why do cities struggle to transition to a Circular Economy? — Information

The paper discusses the urgent need for a transition to a circular economy (CE) to achieve climate neutrality and Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing the importance of cities in this transition as they generate 85% of global GDP and are responsible for 75% of resource consumption. Despite the potential, progress has been slow, with the OECD reporting only 10% of cities advanced in circular transition, while public procurement remains linear. Public entities, especially at a local and regional level, should lead by example given they account for a significant portion of procurement in Europe. The paper outlines the 10 R-strategies for implementing CE, such as refuse, reduce, reuse, repair, and recycle, ranking them by their circular impact. However, accessing information and applying these strategies is challenging due to information overload and lack of common language in CE practices. Local efforts may be fragmented and documented in various languages, making it difficult for widespread adoption. A mental exercise demonstrates how CE principles can be applied in re-equipping a public building by prioritizing the use of existing resources vs. new procurement. The paper underlines that despite the complexity, this practical approach is customary in Scandinavia, showing environmental and cost benefits. The paper concludes with a suggestion for AI as a partial solution to information challenges in implementing CE strategies. It highlights the start of an innovation procurement by eight organizations in Europe to address these challenges, inviting other public organizations to participate and announcing public testing in autumn 2025. The article acknowledges the funding and insights from the CircularPSP project under the European Union's Horizon Europe Programme.

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Unlocking the Power of Industrial Symbiosis: How Data Exchange Fuels Collaboration and Innovation
Digitalisation

Unlocking the Power of Industrial Symbiosis: How Data Exchange Fuels Collaboration and Innovation

The CORALIS project examines data exchange in industrial symbiosis networks, identifying lack of standardization and proposing a structured communication framework to improve trust, efficiency, and innovation for sustainable industrial practices.

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Digital Matchmaking for Industrial Sustainability: How Knowledge Platforms Enable Circular Economy
Digitalisation

Digital Matchmaking for Industrial Sustainability: How Knowledge Platforms Enable Circular Economy

A discussion of the challenge of managing information for industrial symbiosis, focusing on digital tools developed for matchmaking and economic assessment. It underlines the importance of integrating technology with human relationships and adapting to regulatory changes that promote data standardization and transparency.

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Harnessing Industrial Symbiosis For Sustainable Growth and Circular Economies
Digitalisation

Harnessing Industrial Symbiosis For Sustainable Growth and Circular Economies

Industrial symbiosis (IS) promotes sustainability via resource-sharing among firms, yet faces challenges in implementation due to economic, regulatory, and technological barriers. Future success depends on innovation, policy support, and cross-sector collaboration to overcome these hurdles.

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Digital Transformation in Industrial Energy Efficiency: Insights for European Companies
Digitalisation

Digital Transformation in Industrial Energy Efficiency: Insights for European Companies

European industries use digital tools for energy efficiency, as per a report with nine case studies, highlighting big data, AI for maintenance, demand response programs, collaboration importance, addressing high costs, and skill gaps, offering guidance for integrating technologies and fostering innovation for sustainability.

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The Intersection of Energy and AI: Insights from the IEA Global Conference
Digitalisation

The Intersection of Energy and AI: Insights from the IEA Global Conference

The IEA's Global Conference on Energy and AI highlighted the reciprocal relationship between both fields, focusing on AI's role in optimizing energy use and enhancing renewable energy adoption, while also acknowledging AI's growing energy demands. Key discussions addressed electricity consumption by data centers, advancements in battery tech, smart grid optimization, predictive capabilities for natural disasters, and international perspectives from companies and governments on AI-driven energy strategies. The IEA stressed its commitment to providing actionable data and fostering stakeholder dialogue to align AI with energy system realities, and announced a comprehensive energy-AI report for 2025.

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The Strategic Landscape of AI Infrastructure Financing: Microsoft, BlackRock, and Global Initiatives
Digitalisation

The Strategic Landscape of AI Infrastructure Financing: Microsoft, BlackRock, and Global Initiatives

The Global AI Infrastructure Investment Partnership, with $30 billion from Microsoft, BlackRock, and others, aims to build AI data centers and related energy infrastructure, addressing the high energy demands of AI. Other initiatives like Google's AI Opportunity Fund and IndiaAI Mission support AI infrastructure development, focusing on sustainability and international cooperation to ensure global economic and technological advancement.

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Digital Revolution in Motor Systems: Powering the Future of Energy Efficiency
Digitalisation

Digital Revolution in Motor Systems: Powering the Future of Energy Efficiency

The paper highlights the revolution of motor systems through digital technologies enhancing efficiency, despite challenges such as lack of standardization and cybersecurity risks. Innovations include smart sensors, IoT, and AI-driven analytics, with case studies showing significant energy savings. Opportunities exist for professionals in data science and cybersecurity.

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Digital Solutions for Energy Efficiency in Industry
Digitalisation

Digital Solutions for Energy Efficiency in Industry

The 4E TCP report demonstrates how digital solutions in industrial motor systems enhance energy efficiency, with case studies showing benefits like reduced electricity consumption, improved operational flexibility, and lower maintenance costs. Advanced control systems, real-time data monitoring, and IoT technologies lead to significant energy and CO2 savings across various sectors, despite initial investment and implementation challenges.

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Top 10 EU Initiatives for Digitalizing the Energy System: Transforming Europe’s Energy Landscape
Digitalisation

Top 10 EU Initiatives for Digitalizing the Energy System: Transforming Europe’s Energy Landscape

The European Union is advancing the digitalization of its energy infrastructure through 10 key initiatives that address data interoperability, grid management, cybersecurity, energy efficiency, and consumer empowerment to support its 2030 and 2050 climate goals. These initiatives aim to create an integrated, sustainable energy system that incorporates renewable energy and encourages innovation, while grappling with standardization and fast-paced digital innovation challenges.

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