AI for energy systems
Unlocking sustainable AI for a resilient energy transformation
This report explores how strategically deploying artificial intelligence (AI) solutions across energy systems can help deliver significant economic and environmental benefits.
AI: Powering smarter, stronger and sustainable energy systems
Energy systems face mounting challenges—from rising demand to environmental concerns and the need for enhanced resilience.
AI offers a key solution to help transform energy systems—while saving substantially more energy than it consumes. By optimizing operations and enhancing system reliability, AI can help drive energy efficiency, cost savings, and emission reductions.
By 2050, AI could save almost 12,000 terawatt-hours (TWh) of energy and unlock nearly US$500 billion in cost reductions, while avoiding substantial emissions annually.
Potential benefits by 2030
TWh
Annual energy savings enabled by AI by 2030—triple its projected use.
Annual cost savings from AI integration by 2030.
Annual emissions avoided through AI adoption by 2030.
Projected impact of AI across 2030–2050: energy savings, economic benefits and sustainability
Key considerations for integrating AI
Energy companies and industrial manufacturers
Energy and industrial manufacturing companies are the main drivers of AI deployment as the end-users and owners of operational data. Prioritizing high-quality data, cybersecurity and governance can help with implementation, while investing in scalable applications like AI-driven asset optimization, predictive maintenance and real-time system balancing can help generate rapid returns and resilience.
Technology companies
Technology companies are among the engines of AI innovation and key to tailoring to the needs of the energy sector. By investing in complementary technologies like Internet of Things (IoT) and digital twins and collaborating with energy and industrial manufacturing companies they can provide solutions for grid stability, demand forecasting and predictive maintenance.
Financial services providers
Financial services providers are important for scaling sustainable and resilient AI-driven innovation. By deploying innovative financing instruments—green and sustainability-linked bonds, concessional loans, and mezzanine financing mechanisms—they can support deployment of sustainable, sovereign AI in energy projects adopting leading efficiency standards and flexible grid integration.
Governments and policymakers
Governments and policymakers can play an important role in creating the conditions for responsible, sovereign AI adoption in energy systems. By establishing standards, harmonizing secure data-sharing, investing in high-quality datasets, building local capacity through education and public-private partnerships, and maintaining flexible regulatory frameworks, they can accelerate innovation in AI and its adoption.
Leaders in the energy sector are navigating a transformation of scale and complexity. This presents an opportunity to reimagine the future of energy enabled by the responsible and strategic application of AI.
- Jennifer Steinmann, Deloitte Global Sustainability Business leader
Jennifer Steinmann
Geoff Tuff
