Learn how the energy & utilities industry is adapting to key trends like AI, electric vehicles, renewables, and the challenges they face going into 2026.
Table des matières
Avec AI data centers, EV charging and renewables on the rise, the energy & utilities industry is facing a surging electricity demand.
Les services publics se trouvent à un moment critique où l'adoption de l'innovation n'est plus facultative - elle est nécessaire pour rester en tête.
Examinons les tendances qui façonnent cette transformation et la manière dont les services publics peuvent les exploiter efficacement.
Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) 2.0
Traditional metering systems often lead to inefficiencies such as billing inaccuracies and delays in accessing consumption data.
This is where AMI steps in to provide smart meters that enable accurate real-time metering.
This results in precise facturation basée sur l'utilisation, avoids revenue leakage and provides insights for customers.
Furthermore, smart meters allow for responding to grid demand. This enables off-peak metering and communicating changes and fluctuations to customers.
AMI 2.0 has gained traction offering more frequent access to voltage values, allowing for near real-time data access.
Additionally, Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring (NILM) identifies appliances which are faulty or inefficient by analyzing their unique electricity signature.
Customers can pair their phones with AMI 2.0 smart meters to gain insights on usage and efficiency.
It’s crucial that energy providers learn from AMI 1.0 mistakes and invest money in upgrading infrastructure and not only focus on buying the hardware.
Improvements in AMI 2.0
- Données en temps réel : Les compteurs intelligents fournissent des données de consommation en temps réel, ce qui permet aux services publics de détecter les pannes et de les localiser afin d'accélérer les réparations.
- AI & Machine learning: Enables AI predictive maintenance and load forecasting.
- Soutien à la réponse à la demande : L'AMI permet aux services publics d'envoyer des signaux pendant les pics de demande, encourageant ainsi les utilisateurs à réduire leur consommation. En outre, utilisation de compteurs enables precise tracking of energy consumption, ensuring fair and transparent billing based on actual usage.
- EV charging: Enables Équilibrage dynamique de la charge, charge intelligente, demand response automation.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML)
According to research, 74% of energy companies adopt some sort of AI.
While the energy sector is beginning to adopt AI, many utilities lag in leveraging its full potential.
Comment l'IA optimise les opérations des services publics :
- Forecast demand: AI tools balance supply and demand in real time, preventing grid overloads.
- Maintenance prédictive : AI anticipates equipment failures, minimizing downtime and costly repairs.
- Personnalisation du client : La connaissance des données permet aux services publics de fournir des recommandations et des solutions de facturation sur mesure.
Challenges Companies Face Regarding AI
The emergence of AI data centers poses multiple challenges for energy providers.
Companies must scale infrastructure to respond to the demand of running and cooling servers for training AI models.
Additionally, les U.S DOE warns of “data poisoning”, where attackers might feed the AI false sensor data to shut down crucial components.
Also, since AI is trained on specific scenarios, it might make illogical decisions when faced with scenarios it hasn’t seen yet.
Digital Twin Technology
“Digital twin” software (real‐time virtual replicas of plants, grids, pipelines, or water systems) is maturing in utilities.
These virtual replicas allow for simulating changes or failures and how systems react to these factors without real-world risks.
Innovations et défis majeurs dans le domaine de l'énergie et des services publics
Le EY Future of Energy Survey reveals that 62% of utility companies claim to be utilizing digital twins, only 11% feel that these technologies are meeting their expectations.
Developments in Digital Twin Software
- AI and ML: Newer software uses AI to more accurately simulate environments by being trained on real-world data.
- Real-time access to IoT devices: This allows DT to access actual sensors and devices instead of simulated ones to construct accurate environments.
- Cloud-native platforms: DT software is being developed on the cloud, allowing for easier integration and lowers time-to-value.
Improving interoperability between systems, introducing standards, increasing shared understating of how digital twins work is the main goal going forward.
Renewable Energy
Renewables are set to surpass coal-fired generation in 2026.
This shifts the market focus away from coal and towards renewables; this is reflected in software trends.
The figure below shows electricity generation from fossil fuels, nuclear energy and renewables by continent in 2024.
| Continent | Fossil | Nuclear | Renewable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afrique | 75% | 1% | 24% |
| Asie | 70% | 5% | 25% |
| World | 59% | 9% | 32% |
| Océanie | 58% | 0% | 42% |
| Amérique du Nord | 56% | 16% | 28% |
| L'Europe | 40% | 21% | 39% |
| South America | 22% | 2% | 76% |
Source : Our World In Data
Renewable energy is unpredictable; we can’t generate wind or switch on the sun on demand, like we can with fossil fuels.
It’s also highly dependent on the location. Transmission of renewables becomes a challenge when plants are so decentralized.
This is why Virtual Power Plants (VPP) et Distributed Energy Resources Management Systems (DERM) are shifting towards cloud-native SaaS solutions tailored for renewables.
The focus is to make renewable energy storage and transmission reliable and efficient.
This is mostly done with AI and digital twins to predict demand, scale power plants and simulate changes and disasters.
Additionally, Energy as a Service (EaaS) and Utility as a Service (UaaS) are on the rise.
Tarification dynamique
Les modèles de tarification forfaitaire sont dépassés dans le paysage énergétique actuel. C'est pourquoi tarification dynamique is a win-win for utilities and consumers.
It reflects real-time conditions, creating a more balanced and efficient system.
Modèles de tarification dynamique pour les services publics :
- Tarification en temps réel : Adjusts rates based on grid capacity and renewable energy availability.
- Tarification en fonction du temps d'utilisation : Encourages off-peak energy usage by offering lower rates.
- Tarification échelonnée : Rewards efficient energy consumption with reduced costs.
Principaux avantages de la tarification dynamique :
- Reduces grid strain during peak periods.
- Helps consumers save money with smarter energy choices.
- Promotes efficient energy use et grid stability.
The introduction of dynamic pricing opens up new market opportunities.
Smart Grid Modernization
The rise of distributed energy (solar panels, batteries, EVs, etc.) is leading utilities to adopt sophisticated grid-management software and Virtual Power Plant (VPP) platforms.
Modern smart grid software integrates demand response, inverter controls, storage dispatch, and microgrids to keep the grid balanced.
Caractéristiques du réseau intelligent pour les services publics modernes :
- Capteurs IoT : Provide real-time grid performance data for proactive management.
- Détection des défauts : Quickly identify and resolve issues, minimizing outages.
- Systèmes de réponse à la demande : Dynamically adjust energy supply to meet changing demands.
- Artificial Intelligence: Forecasting weather events, power spikes and outages.
L'impact des réseaux intelligents :
- Seamless integration of renewable energy sources into the grid.
- Enhanced reliability and reduced operational disruptions.
- Greater energy efficiency and sustainability.
Intégration des véhicules électriques (VE)
L'adoption des VE s'accompagne d'une augmentation de la pression exercée sur l'infrastructure du réseau. Les services publics doivent s'adapter EV charging solutions tout en maintenant la stabilité du réseau.
Trends in EVs are indirectly affecting the decisions that energy and utility providers make.
The question for utility providers has shifted from “How do we survive this demand?” à “How can we utilize this demand to our advantage?”.
On the one hand, technologies like V2G pose a challenge when it comes to regulatory compliance and grid compatibility.
On the other hand, however, they also provide benefits like grid stabilization et peak load management to grid operators.
Furthermore, EVs are the perfect testbed for next-gen electricity pricing.
Le ChargeWise California pilot project found that dynamic price signals, combined with automated charging management, achieve up to 98% EV charging load delivered off-peak.
Above 60-70% typically achieved by time-of-use (ToU) tariffs.
Pricing engines like Tridens Monetization enable effortless configuring of complex tariffs.
Stratégies pour une intégration efficace des véhicules électriques :
- Systèmes de gestion de la recharge : Équilibrer les charges du réseau en optimisant les programmes de charge
- Modèles de tarification dynamique : Encourager la recharge en dehors des heures de pointe grâce à des tarifs d'électricité variables
- Connectivité au réseau : Intégrer de manière transparente l'infrastructure des VE aux systèmes énergétiques afin d'éviter les surcharges
L'IdO dans la gestion de l'énergie
Le Internet des objets (IoT) transforme les services publics en permettant une surveillance et un contrôle en temps réel des opérations.
Applications clés de l'IdO dans la gestion de l'énergie :
- Appareils intelligents : Les thermostats et les moniteurs d'énergie permettent aux consommateurs d'optimiser leur consommation d'énergie
- Surveillance en temps réel : Les services publics obtiennent des informations exploitables afin d'améliorer l'efficacité et de réduire les déchets.
- Intégration des énergies renouvelables : L'IdO aide à gérer la variabilité des sources d'énergie renouvelables
Avantages de l'IdO pour les fournisseurs d'énergie et de services publics :
- Reduces carbon footprint by optimizing resource management and energy consumption
- Reduces energy waste and operational costs
- Increases transparency and control for both utilities and consumers
- Supports sustainability goals through better resource management
Choosing a Modern Monetization Provider
At Tridens Technology, we empower energy and utility companies with Tridens Monetization.
En intégrant la facturation avancée, l'analyse de l'IA et les modèles de tarification dynamique, nous aidons les services publics à automatiser l'ensemble de leur processus du compteur à l'encaissement grâce à une plateforme de facturation multiservice entièrement configurable.
Our customers benefit from real-time charging and invoicing, enabling instant billing based on usage or time.
Advanced rate management tools let you create and manage complex pricing structures with ease, including usage-based and dynamic pricing models.
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