Digitalizing the grid to meet today’s energy crisis – with Simon Evans and Akshat Rathi

As geopolitical tensions once again send shockwaves through
global energy markets, the pressure to accelerate the energy
transition has rarely been greater. In this episode of The
smarter E Podcast, we explore how digital technologies and
electrification are reshaping the energy system—and why smarter,
more connected grids are becoming essential in navigating today’s
crisis.


Our first guest, Simon Evans, Global Digital Energy and Digital
Twin Leader at Arup, explains what digitalization really means
for electricity networks. As renewables, rooftop solar, EVs, and
distributed assets multiply across the grid, traditional
operating models are becoming increasingly complex. Digital
technologies, including improved data sharing to digital twins
and machine learning, can help system operators manage this
growing complexity. But as Evans argues, the biggest hurdles are
not technical. Regulatory frameworks, trust between stakeholders,
and new approaches to secure data exchange will ultimately
determine how quickly digitalization can scale.


We also explore how smarter networks could unlock flexibility
across the system like coordinating EV charging and distributed
storage and reducing renewable curtailment. In some cases,
digital tools could even help direct excess renewable generation
toward households facing energy affordability challenges.


In the second half of the episode, Bloomberg climate reporter
Akshat Rathi joins the podcast to unpack the geopolitical context
behind today’s volatile energy markets. As disruptions to oil and
gas supply chains push prices higher, governments are once again
confronting energy security concerns. But unlike past crises,
there is now a third option: accelerating electrification and
renewable energy deployment.


From digital grids to geopolitics, this episode looks at how
today’s energy shocks could reshape the power system and why
smarter infrastructure may be key to building a more resilient,
electrified energy future.


️ Have comments or questions? Get in touch at
podcast@thesmartere.com