Digital technologies are everywhere, and affect the way we live, work, travel and play. Digital technologies can also improve the way we live. For example, new technologies can help us better understand and reduce our energy consumption. In today’s climate emergency, digital technologies can also support the reduction of carbon emissions and our move away from fossil fuels to more sustainable and clean technologies such as solar and wind. Digitalisation can also increase the effectiveness of these power sources for both producers and consumers.

The energy sector has been an early adopter of digital technologies. In the 1970s, power utilities were digital pioneers, using emerging technologies to facilitate grid management and operations. Oil and gas companies have long used digital technologies to improve decision-making for exploration and production assets, including reservoirs and pipelines. The digitalisation of energy also has an important role in ensuring the safe and effective operation of energy markets, and networks, for example, by enabling fault detection and ensuring grid stability.

The digital energy transition involves and impacts on us all in different ways. As we will see what benefits one group can present challenges or opportunities for others.  As we will explore in this course, our access to experiences and perceptions of digital technologies plays a key role. Enabling everyone to be part of the digital energy transition presents both challenges and opportunities.