Title: Role of Digitalization in the Low Carbon Energy Transition

Abstract:

The global energy scenario faces profound energy and environmental challenges, above all climate change. In the wake of Paris Agreement, to rally the global fight against climate change, the United Nations (UN) has called upon the international community to decarbonize energy sector by 2050. Decarbonization of energy sector, by shifting away from fossil fuels, is widely deemed to be the most critical requirement for a sustainable energy future. The recently concluded COP28 also ended on the note of a phaseout of fossil fuels. The transition in the global energy landscape, also termed as low-carbon or sustainable energy transition, is being spearheaded by renewable energy. This talk/paper examines the key technological dimensions of the unfolding energy transition. It discusses the major drivers and technologies propelling the transition. It also examines the role of digital technologies in enabling this energy transition. It discusses the major digital technologies, their functions, prospects and challenges.

Biography:

Dr Muhammad Asif is a Professor at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in Saudi Arabia. He is a Fellow of the Energy Institute, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Chartered Engineer, a Certified Energy Manager, and a Member of the International Association for Energy Economics. Before joining KFUPM, he was an Associate Professor at the Glasgow Caledonian University in UK. He also taught at various universities in Austria and Germany. His areas of teaching and research interests include energy transition, renewable energy, energy and environmental security, sustainable buildings, and life cycle assessment. He has supervised 9 PhD and over 30 Master’s projects. He has undertaken research and consultancy projects for several leading public and private sector organizations in Europe, the Middle East and South Asia. He has authored/edited 8 books and has over 100 publications to his credit. He is part of several national and international energy advisory forums.