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To identify the influence of digital transformation on energy consumption, this paper introduces digitalization and energy elements into the multi-sector energy efficiency analysis model. Furthermore, this paper empirically tests the influence of digital transformation on energy efficiency from the micro level. The results show that the digital transformation indeed improves the enterprises energy efficiency, in which enterprises with higher energy efficiency are more affected. The improvement effect of digital transformation on enterprise energy efficiency continues to increase over time. In comparison, digital transformation shows more effective improvement effect on energy efficiency in enterprises that substantive transformation priority, with same group and maturity stage. Mechanism analysis shows that digital transformation can improve the energy efficiency of enterprises by reducing costs, increasing income, improving production efficiency and promoting technological innovation. In addition, the digital inclusive finance, government subsidies, intellectual property protection and service industry opening show positive regulatory effects. This paper proposes that, with the goal of peak carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutrality, enterprises should actively increase digital investment and strengthen digital management of energy utilization. [Display omitted] • Digital transformation indeed improves the enterprises energy efficiency. • The promotion effect of digital transformation increases over time. • Digital transformation drives efficiency improvement and technological innovation. • Digital transformation contributes to cost reduction and benefit increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital infrastructure serves as a crucial foundation for development in the era of the digital economy. In light of this, this paper takes digital infrastructure construction as its focal point. Utilizing Python technology and the Meta-frontier non-radial directional distance function to calculate the level of digital infrastructure construction and industrial energy efficiency. It then employs a dynamic panel data model to analyze the impact effects and mechanisms of digital infrastructure construction on industrial energy efficiency. Additionally, threshold models and modified gravity models are employed to explore the nonlinear effects and spatial impacts of digital infrastructure construction on industrial energy efficiency. The research findings reveal that the enhancement of digital infrastructure significantly improves industrial energy efficiency. Moreover, indicate a shift in the impact of digital infrastructure construction on industrial energy efficiency from inhibitory to promotional as the level of digital infrastructure construction increases. The mechanism of this effect suggests that digital infrastructure construction can promote the improvement of industrial energy efficiency through green technological innovation and the advancement of industrial structure. Further analysis shows that the spatial network characteristics of digital infrastructure construction notably elevate the level of industrial energy utilization efficiency. This study provides practical policy implications for sustainable development. • Digital infrastructure construction markedly enhances industrial energy efficiency. • There is a non-linear picture of the impact of digital infrastructure construction on industrial energy efficiency. • The effects of green technology innovation and advanced industrial structure are crucial channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the appearance of digital computers and microprocessor technologies, the control systems used in nuclear reactors continue to transform from analog devices to digital ones in recent years. A heavy challenge is that applying the pre-existing intelligent load following control algorithms developed in the continuous-time domain to the current digital devices of the nuclear reactors may yield the so-called digital chattering effects, and even trigger system instability. To this end, this paper presents a discrete-time integral terminal sliding mode controller (DTITSMC) coupled with a discrete-time disturbance observer (DTDO) for the load following of a modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (MHTGR). The common continuous-time MHTGR model is first transformed into a discrete-time form with consideration of model uncertainties, exogenous disturbances, and discretization errors. Then, on the basis of this discrete-time MHTGR model, a DTDO that can estimate the lumped disturbances, composed of model uncertainties, exogenous disturbances, discretization errors, and unmeasured system states, is developed, subsequently being combined with the designed DTITSMC scheme in order to enhance the system robustness. The proposed DTITSMC scheme coupled with the DTDO is novel in that it can be directly implemented on the digital control system of the MHTGR, while at the same time providing an improved load following control performance, owing to the integration of the state-of-the-art sliding mode control techniques, backstepping control techniques, and the disturbance feedforward compensation supported by the disturbance observer techniques. Both the estimation error convergence of the DTDO and the overall system stability are theoretically proved by the Lyapunov stability theory in this paper. Finally, the feasibility and superiority of the proposed DTITSMC scheme coupled with the DTDO over the previous discrete-time linear sliding mode controller (DTLSMC) and discrete-time proportional–integral–derivative controller (DTPIDC) are further confirmed by simulation studies, where in the absence of lumped disturbances, the value of the accumulative absolute load error (AALE) produced by the proposed DTSMPPC scheme coupled with the DTDO is merely 0.0575% and 0.2675% to that of the previous DTLSMC and the optimized DTPIDC, respectively, while in the presence of lumped disturbances, the value of the AALE produced by the proposed DTSMPPC scheme coupled with the DTDO is merely 0.006% and 0.1952% to that of the previous DTLSMC and the optimized DTPIDC, respectively. • A discrete-time MHTGR model with lumped disturbances is constructed. • A DTDO that can estimate lumped disturbances is developed. • A DTITSMC scheme is proposed to accomplish load following operation of MHTGR. • Control scheme can be directly implemented on digital control system of MHTGR. • Simulations and comparisons reveal superiority of control scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the unique micro-data of industrial enterprises' Nitrogen oxides (NOx) and Sulfur oxides (SOx) emissions covering 58,725 enterprise-year observations, this paper investigates how digitalization affect energy efficiency. The empirical results show that regional digitalization can significantly promote the improvement of energy efficiency of industrial enterprises. Specifically, the result of PSM-DID method indicates that the impact of digitalization on energy efficiency is significantly enhanced by the "National innovative pilot cities" policy, while the dynamic result validates the continuity of industrial enterprises' energy efficiency. Moreover, regional digitalization has superior impact on enterprises within eastern region enterprises, the manufacturing sector, and with elevated liquidity and profitability levels. Finally, moderating effect suggests that technological innovation expand the positive impact of digitalization on enterprises' energy efficiency. This study confirms regional digitalization can promote the energy efficiency of Chinese industrial enterprises, providing the policy suggestions to the energy transition in China. • Measure the regional digitalization level of Prefecture-level city and the energy efficiency at Industrial enterprise-level. • Findings demonstrated that digitalization increases energy efficiency. • The impact of digitalization on energy efficiency can be enhanced by the "National innovative pilot cities" policy. • Technological innovation expands the positive impact of digitalization on enterprises' energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital technology has become a promising measure to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions. So, can digital technology application (DTA) promotes energy saving and emission reduction (ESER) practices in enterprise? To answer this question, this paper studies the influence and mechanism of DTA on enterprise ESER practices based on the awareness-motivation-capability (AMC) framework. The data of 3803 observations of listed companies in China from 2011 to 2020 are analyzed using the ordered logit model. Results indicate that DTA has a significant driving effect on ESER practices in enterprise. In terms of internal managers' characteristics, both the average age of TMT and managerial myopia negatively moderate the effect of DTA on enterprise ESER practices, alleviating the effect between both. In terms of external government intervention, the moderating effects of environmental regulation and government subsidies are investigated, with the former enhancing the relationship between DTA and ESER practices, while the latter weakening the relationship. • Digital technology application promotes energy saving and emission reduction. • Government interventions and managers' characteristics have moderating effects. • Managerial myopia alleviates the effect of digital technology application. • Government subsidies crowd out the effect of digital technology application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of digital technologies is causing a significant change in the energy sector. These innovations have transformed traditional energy grids into intelligent grids. As a result, the digital replica of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) has become one of the most crucial components in the energy sector. Digital twin technology enables the seamless integration of BESS into intelligent grids and offers numerous benefits, such as easy identification and prediction of faults, real-time system monitoring, optimization, temperature regulation, and estimation of parameters. As a result, the overall performance of BESS is improved by the digital twin technology. Consequently, this paper discusses the general guidelines that must be followed to develop a digital twin for a Li-ion BESS successfully. The main function is to define how to design a digital twin able to optimize the system and facilitate early and predictive fault detection and diagnosis. • Digital Twin for Li-ion Battery. • Providing Guidelines for Designing a Digital Twin for Li-ion Battery. • Define how to Design a Digital Twin Able to Optimize the System and Facilitate Early and Predictive Fault Detection and Diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving energy efficiency is crucial for reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions. Energy efficiency is thought to be greatly improved by digital technology. Investigating the connection between digitalization and energy efficiency can offer a valuable reference for the worldwide achievement of the carbon neutrality goal. To analyze this relationship, this paper constructed a digital evaluation index system and collected data from 90 countries between 2000 and 2020. The findings of the two-way fixed effect panel model indicate that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between digitization and energy intensity. The conclusion is still valid after using the two-stage least square method, the generalized method of moments, and a series of robustness tests. When the digitization level reaches 0.4324, digitization can improve energy efficiency and play an energy-saving role. According to the results of the heterogeneity analysis, developed countries have already reached the stage where digitalization can improve energy efficiency while developing countries have not yet reached this stage. Moreover, no heterogeneity effect caused by the energy mix and electrification level was observed. This study clarifies the causal relationship between digitalization and energy efficiency and provides factual support for digital and decarbonization transitions. • There is an inverted U-shaped relationship between digitization and energy intensity. • Digitization can improve energy efficiency when the digitization level reaches 0.4324 • Digitalization can significantly reduce energy intensity in developed countries. • No heterogeneity was discovered regarding energy endowment and electrification level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the dual thrust of decarbonisation and digitalisation, data-driven enabling technologies become the most promising solutions to reducing the time, cost, and effort required in the development of modern internal combustion engines (ICEs) in which it is hard to handle high-data-cost, high-dimensional, complex nonlinear modelling problems. This paper proposes a view of data-driven enabling technologies used in ICE soft sensors with a focus on the reduction of experimental effort and model complexity to accelerate the development of ICE decarbonisation. The current progress in data-driven modelling of ICEs is briefly outlined from four aspects: data acquisition methods, data processing methods, machine learning methods and model validation methods. Moreover, the challenges of establishing ICE models with high accuracy, fast response, and strong robustness for real-time control are structured and analysed. Based on the challenges, perspectives on three aspects of versatility, practicality, and autonomy are presented. Finally, physics/data-enhanced machine learning and digital twin technology are suggested to empower soft sensors used for modern ICEs. • The applications of soft sensors in internal combustion engines were organized. • The current progresses and the common problems of soft sensors were introduced. • Future perspectives were proposed as the development direction of soft sensors. • Recommendations about advanced machine learning were suggested for soft sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digitalization is a megatrend that affects and transforms societal, economic, and environmental processes on a global scale. Driven by a combination of technological advances as well as shifting societal demands, digitalization also affects the operation and planning of the electricity sector. This paper uses megatrend analysis framework to analyze digitalization phenomena, its regional differences, technologies, use cases and challenges. It highlights potential system-level benefits (e.g., increased efficiency, transparency, consumer participation) and challenges (e.g., electricity demand growth, autonomy loss, increasing cyber risks) currently reported in the literature. Eventually, building on the thorough analysis, we present a menu of policy options to exploit its full potential of digitalized electricity systems while mitigating adverse effects on decarbonization goals and consumers. • New digital technologies and business models are changing the electricity sector. • Consequences and progression of digitalization are not homogeneous between nations. • Progress depends on ICT infrastructure, funding, economy, skills, policy/regulation. • Policies addressing opportunities and challenges of the transition are needed. • Electricity system transformation needs systematic, but contextual approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]