2024年能源领域数字化策略白皮书

Digital Solutions for the Energy Sector

Introduction

The energy industry is undergoing a significant transition towards decentralization, decarbonization, and digitization. This shift presents new opportunities and challenges for investment and growth, both domestically and internationally. Access to live, usable data is essential for managing energy systems, and digital technologies are crucial tools in achieving net zero emissions.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global grid-related investment in digital technologies has grown by over 50% since 2015, with total grid investment expected to reach $63 billion in 2022. To align with the Net Zero Emissions (NZE) scenario, annual investment in electricity grids needs to average around $600 billion through 2030, nearly doubling current levels.

This report examines shared challenges across the UK energy sector and highlights digital interventions that will enable the UK energy ecosystem to deliver low-carbon energy more efficiently and reliably. It also explores the impact of digital technologies and infrastructure growth on the energy sector and emphasizes the need for responsible technology leadership to facilitate a green digital transition.

UK Digital Sector and Key Technologies

The UK ranks first in Europe and third globally for the development and uptake of advanced digital technologies, according to the Digital Catapult Future Index, 2022. Over the past few years, businesses have accelerated their embrace of digitalization to cope with various challenges, including remote working, health and safety measures, changing consumer habits, and supply chain disruptions.

Advanced digital technologies include:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Science
• Extended Reality (XR) Technologies (Virtual, Mixed, Augmented Reality, and Haptics)
• Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) and Privacy-Preserving Data Sharing
• 5G/6G and Future Networks
• Internet of Things (IoT)
• Cyberphysical Systems (CPS)
• Quantum Computing

Enabling Net Zero Infrastructure

Electrification of heating and transportation, along with increased renewable energy, necessitates significant expansion of electricity networks and innovative ways to manage network constraints. Meeting the required scale and pace is challenging, particularly given delays in network connections.

Enabling Infrastructure Supply Chains

• Demand for New Energy Infrastructure: The offshore wind industry needs to deliver four times more transmission infrastructure in the next seven years compared to the last thirty years.
• Renewable Connection Delays: Up to 15 years of wait time for connecting renewables at the distribution level results in around 400 GW of unconnected renewable assets.
• Supply Chain Disruptions: Over the past two years, disruptions have affected transmission supply chains, leading to higher costs, longer lead times, and lower investment confidence.

HVDC Cable Supply Chain Disruption

• Global Manufacturing Capacity: Global manufacturing is at full capacity, leading to inflated prices and delivery delays.
• Stressed Supply Chain: Limited depth, over-reliance on a single supplier, and limited skilled resources have exacerbated the situation.
• Impact on Renewable Integration: Supply chain disruptions hinder the integration of renewables into the wider energy network, potentially delaying decarbonization efforts.

These challenges highlight the need for robust supply chain management and strategic investment to support the transition to a net-zero energy sector.