Digitalisation

The paper outlines how food and beverage companies can use Energy Management Systems to cut costs, increase efficiency, and promote sustainability by using real-time data and predictive maintenance, bolstered by IoT and smart sensor technology.

Europe advances smart mobility, driven by sustainability and urbanization challenges. EU policies promote electric and autonomous transport, integrating innovations like IoT, MaaS, and AI. Case studies from Barcelona, Stockholm, and Amsterdam highlight smart solutions reshaping urban travel, setting global benchmarks.

The OneNet Project Final Event marked the culmination of efforts to reshape Europe's electricity system. Key topics included TSO-DSO coordination, market design, consumer engagement, and leveraging data for grid operations. The initiative aligns with EU interoperability objectives and promotes a sustainable, unified market.

CircularPSP, a consortium of eight European CE cities, is investing €5.64 million in CE R&D to expedite the circular practice adoption in municipalities and local businesses. The call for tender targets suppliers to create innovative CE solutions, with the bid deadline set for April 1, 2024.

The EU's Artificial Intelligence Act, following a three-day negotiation, aims to integrate AI into the European market, balancing innovation with fundamental rights protection. The act's risk-based approach sets stringent rules for high-risk AI applications, excludes certain AI uses, and provides specific law enforcement exceptions. It establishes a governance system, including an AI Board, and introduces penalties for violations. The legislation will take effect two years post-enactment, with a focus on transparent and responsible AI development.

European cities, regional and national organisations have to transition towards Circular Economy. Only 10% of the cities have advanced on circular transition, as it is particularly complex. Municipalities and local businesses across Europe are facing four interlinked challenges.

There are several ways that AI can be used to support energy management. The field of AI for energy efficiency is an active area of research and development, and new applications are being discovered all the time.

Worldwide, electric motor systems consume about 10,700 TWh annually worldwide and were responsible for 53% of the global electric energy consumption in 2016. This corresponds to approximately the combined electricity consumption of China. Digitalization technologies for electric motor driven systems will have a significant impact on the motor systems industry, offering vast potential for improvements in performance, efficiency, and cost.

The European Union is considering a new legal framework that aims to significantly bolster regulations on the development and use of artificial intelligence. The proposed legislation, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act, focuses primarily on strengthening rules around data quality, transparency, human oversight and accountability.