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AI in Energy and Utilities

How AI helps forecast demand, integrate renewables, maintain infrastructure and save energy.

Editorial team 1 min read

Energy systems are becoming more complex with renewables, batteries and electrification. AI helps manage them.

Applications

  • Demand forecasting for grid planning and trading.
  • Renewable forecasting: predicting solar and wind output from weather data.
  • Grid optimisation: balancing supply, demand and storage.
  • Predictive maintenance of turbines, transformers and pipelines.
  • Asset inspection with drones and computer vision.
  • Building energy management: optimising heating and cooling.
  • Customer programmes: personalised efficiency advice and demand response.

Challenges

  • Critical infrastructure demands high reliability and security.
  • Regulation and safety standards.
  • Legacy systems and data silos.

AI's Own Energy Use

Data centre growth for AI increases electricity demand, prompting interest in efficient models and clean energy supply.

Good Practice

Keep human operators in control of critical systems, and test models thoroughly under unusual conditions such as extreme weather.

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