Digitalization: A Key Tool for the EU to Achieve Energy Efficiency Targets

OUAGADOUGOU – In a significant step towards combating climate change, the European Union (EU) is turning to digital technologies to meet its ambitious energy efficiency targets. The EU’s revised Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) focuses on leveraging digital solutions to reduce energy consumption, particularly in the building sector, which accounts for a substantial portion of the EU’s energy use and CO2 emissions.

According to World Economic Forum, the buildings sector in the EU is a major energy consumer, responsible for about 40% of energy consumption and 27% of carbon dioxide emissions. To address this, the EU has set a target to reduce energy consumption by 11.7% by 2030, based on a 2020 reference scenario. The International Energy Agency underscores the importance of this initiative, noting that doubling progress on energy efficiency could significantly lower CO2 emissions from fuel combustion.

The newly revised EED, which entered into force in October, gives EU member states two years to implement these policies nationally. A notable aspect of the directive is its focus on data centres and public buildings, recognizing the growing energy demands of the digital age.

Data centres, vital for powering web-based technologies, are particularly energy-intensive, operating continuously and requiring consistent power supply. The EED introduces new obligations for larger data centres to report on their energy performance and mandates waste heat recovery initiatives.

For instance, Estonia’s Greenergy data centre, which runs on renewable energy, exemplifies the benefits of digitalization in energy management. It utilizes an integrated data management software to optimize energy usage, particularly in cooling and ventilation, which can account for a significant portion of a data centre’s energy consumption.

The directive also targets the renovation of public buildings, with member states required to renovate 3% of floorspace in publicly-owned buildings annually. New audit and energy management obligations based on energy consumption will drive change across various sectors, including data centres.

In France, the government’s energy regulations for buildings have been adapted to meet these sustainability goals. French energy services company IDEX has collaborated with Siemens to collect and manage sensor data more efficiently across the country. This has resulted in enhanced monitoring, automation, and efficiency gains.

Digitalization is thus emerging as a crucial enabler for decarbonizing built environments in a scalable and economical manner. This approach integrates the real and digital worlds, optimizing operations, and identifying the best retrofit investments to drive the energy transition forward.

The EU’s initiative exemplifies how digital technologies can transform the energy landscape, offering a model for other regions to follow in the global pursuit of a more sustainable and energy-efficient future.