The digital transition in many sectors of the economy is progressing fast, especially in the industrial sector, where cutting-edge companies are already implementing data-driven technologies in what is known as Industry 4.0. The energy sector is already involved in this transition, but consumers and the buildings sector are lagging behind. Here comes Artificial Intelligence!
In order to overcome the barriers to the implementation of innovation in the buildings sector and the uptake of big data and data-driven business models for energy services, the EU-funded BEYOND project came to light. In this sense, BEYOND will develop a Big Data management platform that will offer a set of advanced Artificial Intelligence analysis tools, with the aim of improving real-time intelligent automated control of building assets.
The implementation of this platform, which makes use of advanced Blockchain technology and Smart Contracts to negotiate end-user participation in flexibility markets, is a model for the ethical use of technology. Following this launch, BEYOND is working on a set of policy and market recommendations to accelerate this paradigm shift.
As the use of blockchain and smart contracts becomes more widespread in digital applications and platforms, regulators and policymakers will have to answer difficult questions. These challenges are inevitable and necessary as part of the natural processes of change in society and BEYOND will be there to serve as the trigger for change.
Blog redacted by CIRCE
