EU preparing roadmap on digitalization, AI in energy

The European Commission has launched a public consultation to help shape its upcoming strategic roadmap for digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI) in the energy sector. The roadmap aims to support the rollout of digital solutions, including AI, in areas important for decarbonization.

The areas where the application of digital solutions and AI should be accelerated include electricity grid optimization, energy efficiency in buildings and industry, and demand-side flexibility, according to a press release from the commission.

The consultation should also address the increasingly heavy energy consumption of data centers and look at how they can be more sustainably integrated into the energy system.

The consultation should address the rising energy demand of data centers

Another area of interest is the need to implement safeguards to mitigate potential challenges linked to the large-scale deployment of AI solutions in the energy sector, according to the press release.

The initiative, part of the European Union’s Affordable Energy Action Plan, also aims to facilitate access to energy data via the Common Energy Data Space and unlock innovative services such as demand-side flexibility and bidirectional charging of electric vehicles, according to a LinkedIn post by former Smart Grids Team Leader at the European Commission Manuel Sánchez.

All individuals and organizations are welcome to contribute to the consultation, which is open until November 5. The adoption of the roadmap is planned for the first quarter of 2026.

The roadmap is expected to be adopted in Q1 2026

The target audience for the consultation and the accompanying call for evidence includes stakeholders from digital and energy value chains, such as grid operators, energy intensive industries, data center operators, building operators, car manufacturers, providers of e-mobility solutions, energy communities, aggregators, consumers, researchers, IT suppliers, digital solutions providers, cloud service providers, and appliance manufacturers.