Page 36 - UN Executive Briefing on Unlocking the potential of virtual worlds and the metaverse for the Sustainable Development Goals

UN Executive Briefing on Unlocking the potential of virtual worlds and
the metaverse for the Sustainable Development Goals

Agency name:

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)

Description of activities:

UNECE’s major aim is to promote pan-European economic integration. UNECE has 56
member States in Europe, North America and Asia. However, all interested United Nations
Member States may participate in the work of UNECE. More than 70 international professional
organizations and other non-governmental organizations take part in UNECE activities.

Project 1: Task Force on Digitalization in Energy

Digitalization is reshaping the energy sector and is paving the way for sustained enhancements
in energy efficiency. In this context, policy development should consider the multifaceted
aspects of digitalization to ensure a net benefit to the entire energy system and its stakeholders.

UNECE work on Digitalization in Energy is led and coordinated by the Task Force on Digitalization
in Energy, established by the Committee on Sustainable Energy in 2020 under the Group of
Experts on Energy Efficiency (ECE/ENERGY/133, para.22(d)). Serving as an umbrella for the
subsidiary bodies of the Committee on Sustainable Energy to conduct relevant research and
assess sectoral opportunities and challenges, the Task Force on Digitalization in Energy:

• Monitors new and emerging trends that enable advances in connectivity, data, analytics,
optimization of the overall energy infrastructure, and can greatly increase overall efficiency
of the energy system.
• Conducts in-depth research into the potential of integrating digital solutions throughout
the entire energy system, based on thorough evaluations of challenges and policy
obstacles, including notably the socio-economic context, to provide a clear, concise and
balanced view to policymakers and other stakeholders.
• Organizes events and information sharing sessions for policymakers on relevant topics,
to bridge the gap between academic research, industrial innovations, and policy needs.

The findings of the Task Force hold considerable significance and inform the subject-matter
discussions at UNECE level and beyond and serve the development of a comprehensive
roadmap for the integration of digitalization aspects across all subsidiary bodies of the
Committee on Sustainable Energy.

The activities of the Task Force on Digitalization in Energy are laid down in the biennial Work
Plans of the Group of Experts on Energy Efficiency.

In relation to Virtual Worlds, the Task Force, looks into increasing the energy performance of
industrial sites, for example, using digital twins. It argues that the scope of VR and AI applications
for the industry, allows improving the efficiency of process controls and optimizing energy
costs, but not only. At a chemical plant, for example, VR and AI could be used to automate
management of an industrial microgrid. This would include the creation of a digital twin of
energy consuming processes, through the evaluation of the system’s behaviour in response to
interferences, followed by using ML to adapt the model to real data. This allows: (1) identifying
the areas of energy waste, and conducting a digital twin-based evaluation of the potential for
their reduction, as well as that of the carbon footprint, and; (2) decreasing energy costs, while
maintaining the required parameters (e.g., thermal comfort, technological parameters) by using

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