EDF Fenice reveals the opportunities and challenges of decarbonization.

The company is betting on a “carbon neutral” strategy, based on 4D+C energy: digital, decarbonized, distributed, democratized, and competitive

EDF Fenice, a specialist in Energy Efficiency and Photovoltaic Self-Consumption solutions for the industrial and tertiary sectors, participated in Smart Energy Congress to reveal the opportunities and challenges of the ecological transition in the industrial sector. One of the most polluting business sectors, for which companies must implement solutions that help them reduce their CO₂ footprint and achieve more efficient energy consumption. To address the decarbonization goals of the industrial sector, the company proposes a strategy based on 4D+C energy: Digital, Decarbonized, Distributed, and Democratized, but which is also Competitive for businesses. In the words of EDF Fenice’s CEO, Iñigo Bertrand, “any company aiming to be carbon neutral must implement a long-term decarbonization strategy that is sustainable in environmental and economic terms, through an action plan that has tangible impact and results in the short term.” In his opinion, this represents a double challenge. On one hand, considering the most cost-effective energy solutions that are technologically mature and have a good impact on reducing the carbon footprint, and on the other, taking into account how prepared the markets are for their implementation (regulation, economy, feasibility). Bertrand himself acknowledges this; “making the right decisions is essential for the ecological transition of organizations to be successful, thereby avoiding mistakes that could have serious consequences for their viability.” Meanwhile, innovation and digitalization are impacting the world of energy and are decisive in moving towards a more sustainable society. The use of advanced digital technologies in Energy Management Systems (EMS) is generating significant opportunities in the industrial sector to improve energy efficiency, consumption control, and the determination of emission levels into the atmosphere. As explained at this same forum by Martha Senra, Digital Director of EDF Fenice; “it is essential to have digital tools that help us make decisions about the route and actions to follow in decarbonization, with monitoring tools for our carbon footprint being vital. Combined with personalized artificial intelligence models, these allow us to predict consumption and CO2 footprint and decide which projects are most suitable according to our objectives.” IoT, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, or Virtual Reality are impacting and contributing to greater energy efficiency and the reduction of operational and production costs. In this energy transition, electricity costs, the decarbonization of the economy, or the generation of renewable energies play a fundamental role in advancing sustainability as well.

Therefore, the digital director of EDF Fenice has pointed out that “it is key to promote knowledge and experience in technological and digitalization solutions for the significant improvement of energy efficiency and, with it, the competitiveness of key sectors, such as Energy, Industry, Transport, or Public Services.”

Precisely, the company is betting on the most advanced technological and digital solutions that allow the design of customized intelligent variables and algorithms tailored to each industrial plant. Among them, it has its own Energy Management System (EMS) that enables real-time consumption monitoring and tracking, energy indicator tracking, consumption prediction, or anomaly detection, among other functionalities. As revealed by Laura San Segundo, Head of Energy Management (EMS) at EDF Fenice, “IRIS, the EDF Fenice Energy Management System, is one of the vehicles to achieve the energy transition, as it can be applied to any efficiency project in the industry.” A whole series of keys that will allow Spanish companies to take on the challenge of reducing the CO2 footprint, addressed in a comprehensive conference program as part of Smart Energy Congress, held in Madrid. A meeting point where the needs, opportunities, and challenges for addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Next Generation EU funds, or the European Green Deal were put on the table.