The European Commission's Strategic Roadmap for Digitalisation and AI in Energy, adopted as part of the broader Tech Sovereignty Package, sets out how digital tools and artificial intelligence can help build a more flexible, efficient and resilient energy system as Europe accelerates electrification and tightens its focus on energy security.
Responding to the announcement, SolarPower Europe described the roadmap as an important framework for ensuring digital innovation benefits consumers, businesses and the wider energy system. Success will depend on translating ambition into deployment, particularly through faster rollout of smart grids and smart meters and stronger cross-sector coordination. Cybersecurity and the protection of critical infrastructure must remain central priorities, while secure and sovereign AI will be key to Europe's long-term resilience.
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The association also flagged the growing energy footprint of data centres. With AI adoption accelerating, it argued that data centres should be integrated through smarter planning, greater flexibility and closer coordination across stakeholders, with solar and battery storage offering a swift and sustainable pathway. SolarPower Europe has signed the Commission's Declaration of Intent on the sustainable integration of data centres into the EU energy system.
Dries Acke, Deputy CEO of SolarPower Europe, said: "Digitalisation and AI are becoming indispensable to building a more flexible, efficient and resilient energy system. They will help optimise electricity grids, unlock demand-side flexibility and support increased renewable integration, thereby reducing system costs, strengthening energy security and accelerating Europe's decarbonisation efforts."
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The Commission's AI Continent Action Plan, launched in April 2025, set a target of tripling EU data centre capacity within five to seven years. The Tech Sovereignty Package also includes the Communication on European Tech Sovereignty, the Cloud and AI Development Act and the Chips Act 2. (hcn)
