EU unveils AI, flexibility and cybersecurity energy roadmap

The European Commission has unveiled its European Technological Sovereignty Package, an initiative combining new measures on semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing and energy digitalization.

A central element of the package is the new Strategic Roadmap for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence in Energy, which aims to accelerate the digital transformation of Europe’s energy system and strengthen its resilience to geopolitical, economic and technological challenges.

The commission said the initiative comes at a time of rising electricity demand driven by the electrification of the economy and the expansion of digital infrastructure, particularly AI-related data centres. At the same time, high energy prices continue to weigh on European industrial competitiveness and the purchasing power of households and businesses.

The roadmap is built around three main pillars. The first seeks to ensure the sustainable and transparent integration of data centres into the energy system through agreements between energy operators, data centre operators and public authorities. These agreements are intended to support greater use of renewable energy, improved grid connection planning and more efficient management of energy and water resources.

The second pillar focuses on accelerating the deployment of digital solutions and AI across the energy sector. Brussels aims to promote technologies capable of improving the capacity and efficiency of electricity networks, while also speeding up the rollout of smart meters. According to European Commission estimates, demand-side flexibility enabled by these tools could reduce European consumers’ electricity costs by more than €71 billion per year, equivalent to a reduction of almost 64% in costs associated with electricity consumption.

The third pillar envisages the creation of a European framework for the secure exchange of energy data between member states, facilitating system interoperability, the development of intelligent energy services and more efficient resource management across the continent.

The European Commission believes AI will play a key role in the energy transition. Its application could optimize renewable generation forecasting, improve the balance between supply and demand, strengthen energy storage management and anticipate faults through predictive maintenance systems. Brussels estimates that AI-based optimization of operations and maintenance could generate savings of up to €94 billion annually in Europe by 2035.

One of the most innovative aspects of the strategy is its treatment of data centres as energy assets rather than simply large electricity consumers. According to the European Commission, these facilities can contribute to grid stability through flexibility and storage services. It also highlights the potential to use waste heat generated by data centres, as proposed in a draft Spanish royal decree currently under public consultation. The commission estimates that reusing just half of this waste heat could meet the heating needs of around four million European households.

In parallel, Brussels will strengthen cybersecurity requirements for critical infrastructure such as solar parks, wind farms and energy storage systems. Planned measures include assessing risks associated with suppliers considered high risk, particularly in relation to digital components and inverters used in energy installations.

The roadmap also includes measures to accelerate the deployment of smart grids and digital metering across the European Union. The European Commission plans to introduce new legislative initiatives to encourage the rollout of these technologies in member states where adoption remains relatively low.

In addition, the strategy supports the development of European AI models specifically designed for the energy sector, trained on European data and developed by European companies. The aim is to reduce dependence on external technologies and strengthen Europe’s competitiveness against other major global players.

The roadmap forms part of a broader strategy that also includes the Chips Act 2.0, a forthcoming Cloud and AI Development Act, and a new European open-source software strategy. Through these initiatives, the European Commission aims to build a domestic technological foundation that will enable Europe to lead industrial and energy digitalization while strengthening its technological sovereignty, energy security and economic competitiveness.

From pv magazine España