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News 15 December 2020

A new Joint Programme will unify EERA's efforts towards the digitalisation of energy


EERA is proud to announce the launch of a new Joint Programme, Digitalisation for Energy, which recognizes the transformative role that information technologies have in advancing the clean energy transition.

The transversal Joint Programme (tJP) Digitalisation for Energy (DfE) was formally launched on the 15th of December 2020. It recognizes the critical and transformative role that the digitalization of energy plays in supporting the transition towards climate neutrality by 2050.

The concept behind a transversal joint research programme on digital topics resulted from an extensive consultation within the EERA community. As a result, it was designed as a cross-cutting structure to the other EERA Joint Programmes with the aim of leveraging pre-existing expertise within the established EERA structure and of complementing it with leading edge knowledge on the latest digital concepts and technologies. “Through the transversal Joint Programme, all the researchers in EERA will benefit from the development carried out in other JPs. The specific Sub-Programmes will foster an advancement that will be trans-disciplinary to all EERA activities” said Rafael Mayo-Garcia, who will act as the tJP first Joint Programme Coordinator.

The new transversal structure will have its own Management Board. It will initially include the Joint Programme Coordinator, a Deputy Coordinator and two Sub-Programmes Coordinators (SPs) devoted respectively to High Performance Computing (SP1), and to Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (SP2). At the same time, it will integrate on a modular basis all the existing sub-programmes that, even though belonging to existing Joint Programmes, had already developed a particular expertise in digitalisation topics. This innovative approach in the implementation of the new programme will allow for an easy integration with current and future sub-programmes on digitalisation (i.e., cybersecurity, blockchain, etc.).

Digitalisation for Energy will operate in a pilot mode during the first year, status that will allow EERA to further fine tune the governance of the new programme based on continuous feedback and lessons learnt. The experience derived from this process, as first-of-a-kind cross-cutting structure, is expected to help identify best practices and lead the way to possible additional transversal Joint Programmes within EERA.

The Steering Committee of the programme, formed by the EERA President Nils Røkke, Vice-President Oliver Kraft, and Secretary General Adel El Gammal, has appointed the Management Board of the joint programme based on recommendations from participating Full Member organizations as follows:

  • Joint Programme Coordinator: Rafael Mayo-Garcia (CIEMAT)
  • Deputy Joint Programme Coordinator: Massimo Celino (ENEA)
  • SP1 - High Performance Computing: Edouard Audit (CEA)
  • SP2 - Data Science and Artificial Intelligence: Valeria J. Schwanitz (HVL)

In the official launch communication, EERA Secretary General, Adel El Gammal, thanked the recently appointed Management Board for the efforts devoted to defining this new joint programme, being the first to be organised as a transversal structure to the other joint programmes. He also encouraged the newly assigned management team to “maximise interactions with all existing JPs where digitalisation is anticipated to play a key transformation role”. We look forward to supporting you fully in this strategic endeavour” El Gammal concluded.

Through the transversal Joint Programme, all the researchers in EERA will benefit from the development carried out in other JPs. The specific Sub-Programmes will foster an advancement that will be transdisciplinar to all EERA activities.

Rafael Mayo-Garcia, CIEMAT