article · Energy 360.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution offers key opportunities to address the dual challenges of achieving universal energy access and reaching net-zero carbon emissions. Integrating digital solutions, emerging technologies, and renewable generation helps overcome traditional barriers and accelerates the clean energy transition. Deploying smart grid infrastructure and advancing energy storage technologies are identified as critical strategic interventions. However, realising this potential requires addressing technological hurdles, updating regulatory frameworks, and easing investment constraints. Progress depends heavily on coordinated collaboration between policymakers, industrial stakeholders, and local communities. By combining advanced industrial technologies with supportive policy and targeted investment, energy systems can be modernised to ensure fair and sustainable access for all while curbing climate change impacts.
Expanding energy access while reducing greenhouse gas emissions is essential for global climate and development goals. Understanding how modern digital technologies and smart energy infrastructure interact with policy and finance allows decision-makers to design cleaner, more reliable power systems. This knowledge helps direct public and private resources towards initiatives that ensure communities gain fair access to clean, modern energy services.
The abstract outlines applications in smart grid solutions, energy storage technologies, and digitalised renewable energy systems for utilities and energy developers. Because the work focuses on overarching strategies, regulatory barriers, and investment frameworks rather than specific device testing or field validation, it represents early-stage conceptual research. Any commercial deployment would require targeted technology development and distinct regulatory adaptations by industrial operators.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
This study investigates the convergence of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) with the pressing objectives of attaining universal energy access and transitioning towards net-zero emissions. It explores how the integration of emerging technologies, digitalization, and innovative solutions can be leveraged to surmount obstacles, expedite energy transition, and ensure fair access to sustainable energy for all. Furthermore, it scrutinizes the pivotal role of policies, investments, and collaborative endeavors in propelling the adoption of clean energy technologies and mitigating the impacts of climate change. The 4IR presents a transformative opportunity to confront the dual challenges of achieving universal energy access and net-zero emissions goals. This work further examines the strategies, hurdles, and innovations in harnessing 4IR technologies for this purpose. It also elucidates the fundamental role of 4IR in reshaping the energy landscape. Critical strategies such as the integration of renewable energy sources with digitalization, deployment of smart grid solutions, and advancement of energy storage technologies are emphasized. The challenges posed by technological barriers, regulatory frameworks, and investment constraints are also highlighted. Finally, this study underscores the necessity for collaborative efforts among policymakers, industry stakeholders, and communities to surmount these challenges and hasten progress toward sustainable energy systems. By exploring the intersection of 4IR with universal energy access and net-zero objectives, this study offers valuable insights into unlocking the full potential of emerging technologies to foster a more equitable and environmentally sustainable future.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.energ.2024.100002
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