Technology is a major player in energy’s future. Digitization is key. If every watt and every use of it can be translated into ones and zeros, both energy providers and consumers can have a much better understanding of what they are using and paying for, and what could be improved. Digitization also provides a foundation for more advanced applications. Consider the technology that enables a building to gauge its use/occupancy level on a real-time basis and then adjust its energy delivery accordingly.

Here, we explore the role data platforms will play in ensuring that the energy needed to run a city in 2030 will be available, sustainable, reliable and distributed equitably.