in partnership with

2023

Survey-based insights into
energy sector digitalization
through open source

EnergyTransformation
Readiness Study
June 2023
Adrienn Lawson, The Linux Foundation
Marco Gerosa, The Linux Foundation
Foreword by Hilary Carter,
SVP Research and Communications, The Linux Foundation

2023 Energy Transformation Readiness Study
76% of energy
stakeholders surveyed

51% of energy

stakeholders see IT
and OT on the way
to convergence intheir organizations.

have a clear
strategic plan for
digitalizationand have it already
implemented.

A lack of preparedness for
digitalization can result inpenalties, ﬁnes, or
regulatory actions

due to energy service
violations.

Flexibility is themost promisingfeature of OSS
for energy
stakeholders.

Energy industry
consensus is key
to increasing OSS
adoption.

64% of energy
stakeholders reportthat they use more
open source
software (OSS) thanclosed source.

Performance,
support, andsecurity are themain barriers to
OSS adoption in
the energy sector.

89% of energy stakeholders
agree or strongly agree
that they have theskills neededto address
digitalization needs.

Digitalization plays a criticalrole in decarbonization byenabling smart homeenergy management,
EV charging, & improved
demand response.

Cost reduction andtransition speedup

are the most popular
beneﬁts of OSS in theenergy sector.

OSS reduces gridcomplexity byenabling the integrationand management of
distributed energy
resources (DERs) and easing
application development.

Half of theorganizations believethat training programs
should cover softwareand OSS skills.

Copyright © 2023 The Linux Foundation | June 2023. This report is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License.

Contents
Foreword...................................................................................................................... 4
Introduction................................................................................................................5
Research Overview............................................................................................................................. 5

Digitalization............................................................................................................. 6

Conclusions..............................................................................................................23
The importance of digitalization and being data-driven......................................... 23
OSPOs are key to OSS adoption and to addressing
governance compliance............................................................................................................... 23
Training is a viable solution to addressing theOrganizations are on the path toward digital transformation ..............................6

digitalization knowledge gap..................................................................................................... 23

Respondents confirm that digitalization plays a key role in decarbonization.9

Open source is vital to addressing today’s energy sector needs.......................... 24

Open Source Software ....................................................................................... 12

Methodology............................................................................................................ 25

Energy stakeholders are keen to use Open Source Software................................12

About this study ................................................................................................................................. 25

OSS brings many benefits to the energy sector,

How missing data is handled..................................................................................................... 25

but there are barriers to full adoption...................................................................................14

Demographics..................................................................................................................................... 26

Knowledge Gap....................................................................................................... 19

Appendix.................................................................................................................... 27

The knowledge gap in the energy sector is moderate ................................................19
Organizations in the energy sector are seeking to
improve their employees’ digital technology skills ....................................................20

Endnotes....................................................................................................................46
About the authors.................................................................................................. 47
Acknowledgments................................................................................................ 47

2023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDY

Foreword
When Linux Foundation Research was newly formed, one of the

At the Linux Foundation, we recognize that OSS is a catalyst for

first conversations I had was with the late founder of LF Energy,

digital transformation in the energy sector, and we are committed

Dr. Shuli Goodman. Shuli needed data to inform her efforts toto advancing its adoption. OSS is built on the principles of collab-

increase multi-stakeholder collaboration at the intersection oforation and community, and it is uniquely suited to meet the

open source software (OSS) and the energy sector. She and LF

complex and rapidly evolving needs of the energy sector, in partic-

Energy community members understood that to meet climate

ular, the need to both establish and integrate renewable energy

targets, there would be a need for a rapid digitalization of thesources and better balance overall energy supply and demand.

world’s energy infrastructure and that much of the digitization

By harnessing the power of OSS, the energy sector can transform

effort would rely heavily on OSS. But what were the gaps? What

the way that energy is generated, distributed, and consumed andwas the level of readiness among energy organizations andaccelerate the transformation to a decarbonized future.

professionals where open source was concerned? And did thecommunity have the necessary resources in terms of training toWhile the energy sector is at a crossroads, facing unprecedented

succeed in their digitalization efforts?

challenges, there are exciting developments in the industry andnew pathways forward to support decarbonization targets andWe set out to design a study that would help to answer these

the time-bound United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

and many other questions, involving numerous organiza-(SDGs), particularly SDG 7, Affordable and Clean Energy, and SDG

tions, members of the LF Energy board, academic partners, and

14, Climate Action. To meet these challenges, we require lead-colleagues across the Linux Foundation. We planted the seeds ofership, bold decision-making, and broad-based support fromthe study at a workshop led by LF Training & Certification GM andstakeholders, including regulators, enterprises, governments, and

SVP Clyde Seepersad at Energy Thought Summit in Austin during

across civil society. We are grateful to Dr. Shuli Goodman for her

the early half of 2022 and set to work designing a survey, which,vision and leadership, and we are committed to carrying forward

after much input, had its launch in December 2022.

her legacy. Please join us in our effort.

More than a year after my initial conversation about this project,

Hilary Carter,

I’m delighted that the results of a truly community-wide research

SVP Research and Communications,collaboration are in. And while it is with a heavy heart that Shuli

The Linux Foundation

is not with us to see them, I know she would be excited about theinsights that they reveal across regions.

4

2023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDY

Introduction
The energy sector is undergoing a significant transformation

development. This strong community might lead to quicker inno-

due to the increasing adoption of distributed energy resources

vation, better quality software, and more reliable security. OSS(DERs), the electrification of energy consumption and the urgent

can also assist businesses in avoiding vendor lock-in and retaining

need to address climate change. DERs, such as solar panels, windmore control over their IT infrastructure.

turbines, and energy storage systems, are changing the way
energy is produced, consumed, and distributed, leading to a more

This research intends to provide actionable insights stemming

decentralized, dynamic, and less predictable energy system. At

from the state of digital transformation readiness among energy

the same time, the threat of climate change is driving the shift

stakeholders and the identification of existing gaps in educational

toward a more sustainable, low-carbon energy future. One of thetooling. With these insights, we aim to create greater awareness ofways to battle climate change is through further electrification in

the state of transformation readiness, suggest best practices, andareas such as mobility and heating. This, in turn, puts pressure on

influence both contributions to and the adoption of open sourceenergy operators. New challenges and opportunities are ahead

technology stacks vital to achieving climate targets.

for energy companies, policymakers, and consumers alike as theywork to manage the growing complexity of the energy system andundertake the transition to a more sustainable energy future.

Research Overview
We conducted a worldwide online survey to collect insights

The solution to this overarching problem can be envisioned

about the transformation readiness of energy stakeholders. Datathrough the use of open source software (OSS) within the wider

collection for the survey took place in 2022 Q4. We received 441

process of digitalization. OSS is increasingly being adopted byvalid responses, which are the basis for the analysis presentedorganizations in the energy sector due to its numerous benefits.

in this report. The survey included questions in the following

One key advantage of OSS is that it is often free or low-cost to use

areas: demographics, the current state of digitalization, benefits

and distribute, which can help reduce costs and increase inno-of digitalization, the current state of open source uptake, gover-vation. OSS tends to be highly adaptable, enabling enterprises

nance, benefits and barriers of OSS, skill demand, outsourcing,to customize software to their unique needs and specifications.

and training. We also incorporated insights from subject matter

Additionally, OSS frequently has a large user and developer

experts, whose contributions are referenced throughout thecommunity that contributes to its growth and improvement,

study. For more information about this research approach andfostering a more inclusive and collaborative approach to software

participants' demographics, see the Methodology section.

5

2023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDY

Digitalization
Digitalization in the energy sector refers to the use of digital tech-

Digital technologies can help to optimize the operation of the grid,

nologies to improve the efficiency, reliability, and sustainability

reducing waste and improving the efficiency of the system. Forof energy systems. It involves the integration of automation, theinstance, smart grids can use real-time data to balance supply andInternet of Things, data analytics, and (cloud) computing into

demand, reducing the need for fossil fuel-based peaker plants,

various aspects of the energy value chain, including generation,

which are power plants generally only running when demandtransmission, distribution, and consumption. Throughout thisis high. Digitalization can further help efforts of mitigating thereport, we often use the term “grid,” which refers to the network of

impacts of new load growth from electrification of transporta-transmission lines, substations, transformers, and other elementstion and heat. Some digital technologies can also help to improvethat play a role in delivering energy to homes and businesses.

energy efficiency in buildings and industrial processes. For

One of the most important aspects of digital transformation is

example, smart building systems can optimize heating, cooling,the “smart grid,” a grid boosted with digital technology that allows

and lighting, reducing energy waste and lowering carbon emis-

two-way communication between utilities and consumers whilesions. However, new technologies are not enough, and therefore a“sensing” along the transmission lines.

wider digitalization initiative must include strategies for best practices in measurement and other standards.

The traditional energy sector model is characterized by a centralized, top-down, one-way approach to energy production anddistribution. Typically, a small number of large energy companies control the majority of energy production and distribution

THE CURRENT STATE OF DIGITALIZATION
IN THE ENERGY SECTOR

generated at large power plants and then transmitted over long

Organizations are on the path
toward digital transformation

distances through transmission and distribution networks before

First, the survey set out to investigate the current state of digital

and are often reliant on nonrenewable fossil fuels. The energy isreaching consumers. This traditional system is often inflexible
and inefficient, with energy losses occurring during transmission
and distribution with little or no opportunities for energy storage.
Consequently, consumers have limited opportunities, if any, toproduce and store energy. Households are unable to effectively
track their consumption to reduce energy waste.

transformation specific to the energy sector. One of the ways
our survey conceptualized digitalization efforts was throughcompanies’ intention to develop a digitalization plan. A digitalization plan is crucial for digital transformation, as it encapsulates
an organization’s commitment to change. We also asked about
whether the organizations employ a chief data officer (CDO) or

The grid transformation driven by digitalization has the potential
to transform the energy sector in many ways and, most importantly, help to integrate renewable energy sources into the gridmore effectively. For example, advanced sensors and control
systems can help to manage the variability of wind and solar
power, enabling greater penetration of renewable energy sources.
6

have this role covered in other ways. Having a CDO within theorganization indicates a strong effort to leverage the potentialof data in the changing world of the energy sector. Although adigitalization plan and a CDO show that the organization takes
digital transformation seriously, we also sought out whether organizations are on the path toward a truly systematic change by2023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDY

converging their information technology (IT) and operational tech-

Most organizations surveyed have a clear strategic plan for digi-

nology (OT) processes. Where respondents see a convergence oftalization and have already implemented it. However, there are

the two in their organizations, it can be implied that their organiza-

regional differences where a smaller percentage of organiza-

tions are on the verge of transforming to their deepest layers. This

tions in Europe have implemented a strategic plan. These findings

is an approach and effort that decarbonization goals will require

correlate with the answers on CDOs, where a lower proportion of

from the energy sector.

European-based organizations have a CDO compared to North
America and Asia-Pacific. On a more systemic level, around halfof the respondents see IT and OT on the way to convergence intheir organizations. This finding shows that digital transformation within organizations is not as clear as can be seen in previous

FIGURE 1

measurements. Organizations are on the path toward digital

STRATEGIC PLAN FOR DIGITALIZATION ACROSS REGIONS

transformation, but there is still a way to go. We describe the key
findings in more detail below.

Does your organization have a clear strategic plan for
digitalization? segmented by In which region does yourorganization have its primary headquarters?

MOST ORGANIZATIONS HAVE ALREADYIMPLEMENTED A DIGITALIZATION PLAN
A strategic plan can indicate that an organization is taking aproactive approach to adapt to the changing environment of the78%

Yes, and it has
been implemented

84%
17%

Yes, but it has notbeen implemented yet

Not yet, but it isin development

No

Don't know
or not sureenergy sector and articulating digitalization’s benefits. In total,

62%

76% (TABLE A19) of organizations surveyed have a clear strategicplan for digitalization and have implemented it already.
FIGURE 1 shows that there are regional differences in how strategic

20%

planning for digitalization is being pursued. 62% of organiza-

14%

tions in Europe have digitalization plans implemented, whereas in

3%

North America the percentage is 78%, and in Asia-Pacific, it is 84%.
11%

2%
4%

Another 31% of European organizations are in the preparation
United States / Canada

stage: They have a plan, but it has not been implemented yet, orEuropethe plan is currently being developed.

Asia-Paciﬁc

Overall, 93% of organizations have a clear strategic plancomprising 76% who have implemented this plan and 17% who are3%

in the process of implementing it (TABLE A19). This suggests that2%most organizations are taking digitalization very seriously.

2022 Transformation Readiness Survey, Q18, sample size = 428.

7

2023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDYMOST ORGANIZATIONS HAVE A CDO
OR HAVE THIS ROLE COVEREDFIGURE 2

ROLE OF CHIEF DATA OFFICE ACROSS REGIONSAs the energy sector undertakes a significant digital transfor-

Does your organization have a chief data
officer? segmented by In which region does yourorganization have its primary headquarters?

mation, it becomes more and more data-intensive due to the vast
amounts of data being generated from various sources, such as
smart meters and sensors of the grid. To gain value from suchdata, organizations must have a clear strategy and a dedicatedteam to oversee data management and analytics. At this point, the

72%
78%

Yes

45%
75%

where dedicated, functional roles and titles are concerned. 45%

8%of European organizations have a CDO, compared to values above

14%

70% for the other two regions. This might be due to data analyst

6%No, but this roleis implicitly coveredby other positions

No, but this roleis covered by athird-party vendor

skills missing and being outsourced in the sector, as will be later9%

discussed in this report.

6%
10%

20%

organizations report they fit into the top quartile of digital
preparedness (TABLE A22 ). This contrasts with 35% of European
and 42% of Asia-Pacific-based organizations who report being in

4%

this top quartile.

6%
Total

A MORE SYSTEMATIC DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IS
STILL UNDERWAY IN HALF OF THE ORGANIZATIONS

United States / Canada

3%

The convergence of IT and OT can indicate digitalization at a deep

Europe3%
6%

Don't know
or not sure

In terms of digitalization preparedness, 23% of North American

5%

8%

No

FIGURE 2 shows that in total, 95% of organizations have a CDO or

have this role covered. The state of CDOs in Europe again showsthat European organizations are in the early stages of digitalization

9%No, but this role isexplicitly assigned toanother oﬃcerrole of the CDO becomes crucial.

level. IT is the use of computing technology to manage and process

Asia-Paciﬁc

information, while OT refers to the technology that monitorsand controls physical processes, such as energy generation and2%2%

distribution.

10%

Traditionally, IT and OT have been separate domains with theirown tools, systems, and processes. This is mainly due to asecurity concern to protect physical operations from external

2022 Transformation Readiness Survey, Q19, sample size = 428.

82023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDY

manipulation. However, with the increasing use of digital technol-

As shown in FIGURE 3 , 51% of respondents see IT and OT on theogies in the energy sector, there is a growing need to integrate

way to convergence in their organizations, and 47% of respondents

these two domains to enable more effective data management

see the two technologies as clearly separate in their work-and decision-making.

place. The reason half of the organizations still separate the twoprocesses might be due to security concerns in the energy sector.
Another reason might be company size. The perception that they
are on the way to convergence is more common in smaller compa-

FIGURE 3

nies (FIGURE 3).

IT AND OT CONVERGENCE ACROSS COMPANY SIZE
How do you see the intersection of information technologies(IT) and operational technologies (OT) in your organization?
segmented by Please estimate how many employees
the organization you work for has worldwide.

BENEFITS OF DIGITALIZATION IN THE ENERGY SECTOR

Respondents confirm that digitalization
plays a key role in decarbonization
In this section, we queried what benefits organizations see in thedigitalization of the energy sector. We asked specifically what role
digitalization plays in decarbonization, where options included
the enabling features of digitalization and its facilitating characteristics. We explored whether digitalization can enable new services,51%

business models, and new automation specifications as well as

61%

On the way to convergencecollaboration among operators and stakeholders. We investigated48%

whether digital transformation has the ability to unlock flexibility andfacilitate interoperability. We were interested in what features of digitalization are the most important to energy stakeholders. We also

47%

examined the other side of the coin to see what consequences a lack35%

Clearly separate

of preparedness for digitalization can have on the energy sector.
51%

Respondents see a lot of value in digitalization and confirm that

Don’t know or not sure

2%

Total

4%

Less than 1,000 employees

1%it enables new services to customers. An example of this is smart
home energy management, for which demand is increasing as
households are seeking ways to monitor and lower their energy

1,000 or more employees

consumption. Organizations further confirmed that digitalization enables new automation specifications, such as automating
demand response. A lack of preparedness can pose challenges
in competitiveness, limiting the ability of the organizations tomaintain a role in the market. The specific benefits and challenges
we observed from the survey are explored below.

2022 Transformation Readiness Survey, Q28, sample size = 441.

9

2023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDYDIGITALIZATION ENABLES COLLABORATION
AND NEW SERVICES AND FEATURES

46% of respondents believe that digitalization realizes new automa-

FIGURE 4 shows that 47% of respondents believe that digitali-

integration of renewable energy sources, improving energy efficiency

zation enables new services to customers. Examples include smart

by the automation of energy management systems, reducing energy

home energy management, EV charging, and renewable energy

waste by automating demand response, and predictive maintenance.

tion specifications. Such specifications may include optimizing thesharing and storage, enabling consumers to manage their energy
consumption more effectively, reduce their carbon footprint, andAlmost half of the respondents also believe digitalization enables

participate in the transition to a low-carbon energy system.

collaboration among stakeholders and among operators. By

FIGURE 4

ROLE OF DIGITALIZATION IN DECARBONIZATIONIn your view, what role does digitalization (the application of softwareand data) play in the decarbonization of the energy sector?

47%

Enables new services to customers
Realizes new automation speciﬁcations

46%

Enables collaboration among
a variety of stakeholders

46%

Enables collaboration among operators

45%

Enables the outsourcing oftechnical and commercial services

45%

Facilitates interoperability

41%

Enables new business models

41%
32%

Unlocks ﬂexibility
Other

1%

2022 Transformation Readiness Survey, Q17, sample size = 441, valid cases = 441, total mentions = 1,514.

10

2023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDYFIGURE 5

leveraging digital technologies, organizations in the energy sector

LACK OF PREPAREDNESS FOR DIGITALIZATION

tion, and achieve their decarbonization goals.

can collaborate effectively with other stakeholders, drive innova-

What consequences do you expect for a lack of
preparedness for digitalization in the energy sector?

A LACK OF PREPAREDNESS CAN BRING MANYCHALLENGES TO THE ENERGY SECTOR
33%

Challenges in competitiveness
Missed opportunities in relation
to transportation electriﬁcation

31%

Increase in operating costs

30%

Grid instability, asymmetric response tomarket signals, or supply-demand imbalance30%

Penalties, ﬁnes, or regulatory actions
due to energy service violations

28%

Challenges in fulﬁlling regulation(loss of license to operate)28%

of preparedness in the energy sector. FIGURE 5 shows that 31%
of respondents see missed opportunities in relation to transportation electrification, and 31% see an inability to maintain positionin the market.
Many consequences reflect overarching challenges to decarbonization. For instance, a quarter of respondents see the inability to
onboard customer-owned renewable sources as a main consequence. In the U.S. utility sector, a lack of preparedness might

Loss of (broader) economic
competitiveness26%

Inability to onboard customerowned renewable sources25%

Geopolitical instability

be also correlated with negative regulatory relationships. Thisconfirms that penalties, fines, or regulatory actions due to energy
service violations are also seen as a consequence of a lack of
preparedness for digitalization.
Digitalization is simply inevitable as all things get electrified and

23%

Loss of jobs

decarbonized. Most new DERs are unpredictable by nature andto be integrated within the grid, energy stakeholders need new

19%

Erosion of business

18%

Loss of customers

17%

Increase of jobs

17%

Other

consequences, including issues related to competitiveness. A thirdof respondents expect challenges in competitiveness for a lack31%

Inability to maintain position
and role in the market

A lack of preparedness for digitalization can have a variety ofdigital capabilities.

“If we are not able to keep up with digitalization, we
will slow down the transition to a more sustainable
society and potentially even limit economic growth.”—JONAS VAN DEN BOGAARD, DIGITAL STRATEGY

1%

LEAD FOR OPEN SOURCE, ALLIANDER

2022 Transformation Readiness Survey, Q34, sample size = 436, valid cases = 436, total mentions = 1,555.

11

2023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDYOpen Source Software
Utilities will no longer have total control over energy systems whenbusinesses can develop their own OSS and distribute it to thecentralized power generation is replaced by DERs. Because of thegeneral public, which can encourage creativity and accelerate theindustry's fragmentation, not all power production, transmission,development of new solutions. Finally, organizations can encourageand distribution technologies are compatible, making interopera-

the use of OSS in the energy industry by promoting its advantages

bility crucial for integrating the large range of DERs that are goingand fostering stakeholder cooperation and knowledge sharing.

online. A single organization cannot create the necessary technologies alone. The outdated "black box" methods and closed sourceenergy industry software cannot be used in this new era because

THE CURRENT STATE OF OSS IN THE ENERGY SECTOR

they could result in different measurement standards and different

Energy stakeholders are keen to use OSS

utility evaluation criteria. Open source prevents conflicting standards

In this section, we aimed to understand whether organizations arewhile ensuring the interoperability and compatibility of systems byalready using OSS for their work or are planning to. We conceptu-

1

ensuring vendor neutrality and collaborative development.

alized this by asking what percentage of software they use is open
source and what their stage of open source readiness is. We also

By offering affordable, reliable, and adaptable solutions, OSS plays

examined whether organizations in the energy sector are familiara crucial part in the transformation of the energy sector. OSS canwith concepts such as an open source program office (OSPO) andassist in addressing the difficulties associated with controlling

OSS governance. We further investigated the current stage of OSS

the growing complexity of the modern grid and integrating DERs.

governance in the energy industry.

Open source solutions can make it possible to monitor andmanage DERs in real time, communicate data easily with various

The use of OSS is pervasive, with close to two-thirds of organiza-

devices and programs, and create new services and applications.

tions responding that more than half of the software they use is

In addition, the creation of new energy management tools andopen source. Almost all organizations are keen to use OSS, withservices that empower customers to actively lower their energy

many of them already using it and another significant propor-

use and carbon impact is made possible by OSS.

tion planning to. Only a small percentage of respondents were
not aware of what an OSPO is. In terms of OSS governance, most

There are various ways that the energy sector can use OSS.

respondents understand that governance regulates the interac-

Organizations can use open source solutions that are already avail-tion of open source community participants. The adoption of OSS

able and modify them to suit their unique requirements. Multiple

in the energy sector is growing, driven by the need for greater flex-

open source solutions are in the early adoption phase at LF Energy.

ibility, interoperability, and innovation.

For instance, operators can create applications able to perform
dynamic power flow simulations and security analyses on the
network with an open source library, PowSyBl.2 Organizations canalso assist in the creation of OSS by joining open source communities and submitting code, instructions, and bug reports. Additionally,122023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDYFIGURE 6OSS USE IS WIDESPREAD IN THE ENERGY SECTOROSS USE IN ORGANIZATIONS

64% of organizations report that 50 to 100% of the software they

What percentage of OSS can be typically found in
most software used in your organization?

is often perceived as software that “is everywhere but not visible.”use is OSS as shown in FIGURE 6 . This is consistent with how OSS
Most modern IT stacks cannot go without OSS; therefore, open

43%

source is crucial for the IT systems within the energy sector. A lotof small libraries are used, but there are examples of open source
26%

software being incorporated in large projects.Some grid operators, such as Alliander, also use energy sector specific OSS (e.g.

19%OpenSTEF).
6%

2%

90 to
100%

75 to
89%

50 to
74%

25% to
49%

10 to
24%

2%

As OSS often requires technical capability, some energy sector

2%

operators are ahead of others. More traditional grid operators
still rely on vendors for their software solutions. As the digital

Less than Don’t know
10% or not surelead for open source at Alliander points out, Alliander is one of thefrontrunners in open source use among grid operators and has
an OSPO. Others in Europe are open to taking up OSS, and while2022 Transformation Readiness Survey, Q33, sample size = 416. (filtered by Q22 to
exclude respondents not familiar or slightly familiar with OSS in their organization)

OSPOs are increasingly being formed, they are still not common.
We received further insight into the U.S. utility sector from a

FIGURE 7

subject matter expert. There is a considerable amount of open

OSS READINESS

source use, either on the server side or elsewhere in the stack.
However, there are still a lot of closed source software stacks used.

What is your organization’s current open
source software (OSS) readiness?

MOST ORGANIZATIONS HAVE OSS ON THEIR PLAN
FIGURE 7 indicates that almost all organizations already use OSS

or are planning to do so (98%). Organizations are ready to use OSS
41.5% Use OSS

and understand the benefits it can bring, such as cost savings,

56% Planningflexibility, interoperability, innovation, security, and sustainability.

1.5% Not started

The 40% of energy organizations that use OSS do not simply make

1% Don't know or not sureuse of it but are also equipped with an OSPO and / or security
team as shown in TABLE A32 . OSS often requires a higher level oftechnical expertise than closed source software.

2022 Transformation Readiness Survey, Q29, sample size = 416. (filtered by Q22 to
exclude respondents not familiar or slightly familiar with OSS in their organization)

OSPOs have great business value and come in all shapes andforms.3 TABLE A30 shows that 66% of respondents understand the132023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDY

role of an OSPO (that it manages development and contributions

Most organizations understand the importance of OSS gover-to software both within and outside the organization). Only a few

nance. TABLE A27 shows that 56% agree that governance regulates

respondents (7%) did not know what an OSPO is.

the interaction of OSS community participants, and 55% agree thatgovernance leads to innovation and commercialization.

GOVERNANCE IN EUROPE IS IN EARLIER STAGESOSS governance is important for ensuring compliance, managing

FIGURE 8 shows that respondents in North America and Asia-

risk and intellectual property, facilitating collaboration, andPacific (48% and 47%, respectively) believe that governance of OSS

maintaining the organization’s reputation in the open source

is being discussed and beginning to be implemented. In Europe,

community. Governance helps to ensure that the organization is

fewer respondents believe the same, and a higher percentage say

using OSS in a responsible and sustainable manner.

that governance is being discussed but does not exist yet. Subject
matter experts confirmed that as the technology industry isstronger in North America than in Europe, there is a delay in open
source uptake and OSPO formation.

FIGURE 8

STATE OF OSS GOVERNANCE

BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF OSSWhat is the current state of governance for OSS in theenergy industry? segmented by In which region does
your organization have its primary headquarters?

OSS brings many benefits to the energy
sector, but there are barriers to full adoption
A large part of the sample is a strong believer in OSS (66%), and the48%

Governance of OSS is being
discussed and beginningto be implemented

34%

14%
5%
7%
4%
1%

Don't know or not sure

47%

were all intended to provide a picture of what benefits OSS can bringto energy stakeholders and what are its most promising features. We
also intended to investigate the factors that are influencing which OSS
library or package an organization chooses for their work. As there

27%

is still no full adoption of OSS in the energy sector, it is important tounderstand why this might be; therefore, the survey also exploredthe main barriers to OSS use. As OSS will be crucial for grid transformation and decarbonization, LF Energy is committed to improving

United States / Canada

OSS adoption. We sought out an answer from the energy stake-

Europe6%4%translated into actual use. We explored the advantages attributed to
OSS behind the strong belief in this section. The questions we asked

15%

Governance of OSS is being
discussed but does not exist yet
Governance of OSS is not
yet being discussed anddoes not exist yet

further confirms that organizations are keen on OSS if belief can be

31%
27%
31%

Governance of OSS already exists
in some communities or foundations
to ensure software neutrality

remaining is partially unconvinced (34%), as shown in TABLE A24 . This

holders about what would be the key to this improvement.

Asia-Paciﬁc

Cost reduction and transition speedup are the most popular benefitsof OSS. Flexibility is the most promising feature. The quality of sourcecode influences OSS library choice the most in North America, but the2022 Transformation Readiness Survey, Q25, sample size = 428.
PHOTO FROM THE LINUX FOUNDATION / KUBECON EUROPE 2023
14

2023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDY

size of the user community seems to be a more important factor inseen in FIGURE 9 , where a smaller percentage of North American

Europe. Performance, support, and security are the main barriers to

respondents selected the options. According to our subject matter

adoption. Industry consensus is key to improving OSS adoption.

experts, the reason might be that the energy infrastructure inEurope is perceived as public money, and open source provides

COST REDUCTION AND TRANSITION SPEEDUP ARE THE
MAIN BENEFITS OSS BRINGS TO THE ENERGY SECTOR

the opportunity of “giving back.” Although there is an appetite

North American organizations are overall less passionate about

demonstrate product-market fit to spark willingness to adopt it.

OSS benefits compared to other regions, but this might be dueThis finding is consistent with the more “romantic” perception of

to underrepresentation in Europe and Asia-Pacific. This can be

OSS in Europe, as reported in our Europe Spotlight Research.4

for OSS in the U.S. energy sector, it is not evangelized. OSS has to

FIGURE 9OSS BENEFITS ACROSS REGIONSIn your opinion, what benefits will OSS bring to companies in the energy sector?
segmented by In which region does your organization have its primary headquarters?
Speeds up the transition as it allows organizations toshare insights and innovation in the energy sector

39%

Reduces cost through improved software component
documentation and more streamlined administration

39%

45%

37%
35%

Enables faster recognition of new component vulnerabilities,
so companies can understand immediately if they are at risk

57%

37%

Allows diﬀerent partners to test, contribute changes upstream,
and consume the software—for free—and as needed33%
31%

Creates awareness of risky components andenables users to pursue mitigation strategies

31%

Provides information that enables more
informed risk-based decision-making

Don’t know or not sure

56%
65%

38%
35%

Enables the organization to proactively identity
alternatives for components that reach their end of life

Other

54%
53%

29%
2%
1%
2%

50%
49%

39%
United States / Canada
41%

EuropeAsia-Paciﬁc

2022 Transformation Readiness Survey, Q35, sample size = 423, valid cases = 423, total mentions = 1,150.

15

2023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDYFIGURE 9 also shows that many organizations believe that OSS

FIGURE 10

PROMISING FEATURES OF OSS

reduces cost through improved software component documenta-​​For your organization, what are the most promising features of OSS?

56% in Europe, and 65% in Asia-Pacific. OSS is typically available

tion and more streamlined administration: 39% in North America,
at no cost or at a lower cost than closed source software. This canFlexibility: OSS comes without vendor lock-ins,
irrelevant features can be eﬀectively removed by
the users, and the source code is free to modify
Cooperation: OSS covers sections of software development,
where cooperation is more rewarding than competition

50%
37%

help energy companies save money on software licensing fees andreduce their overall IT expenses.
Transition speedup is also greatly valued by organizations, as OSS
is often developed by a large community of developers who can

34%collaborate and contribute to the software’s development. OSS

Innovation: OSS enables faster innovation

33%

of alternatives and component vulnerabilities, collaboration, miti-

Security: OSS oﬀers better information security

32%

Scalability: OSS can be scaled up and down so thatbusinesses can achieve their desired results

32%

Productivity: OSS helps reduce development time

Quality: OSS products oﬀfer superior quality

30%

Interoperability: OSS fosters interoperability

29%

Cost: OSS can be installed and used at alower cost than proprietary software

28%

Shared investment: OSS allows for shared investment

26%

Reliability: OSS is consistently reliable26%

gation strategies, and the provision of information.
FLEXIBILITY IS THE MOST PROMISING FEATURE
OF OSS FOR ENERGY STAKEHOLDERS
Flexibility is the most promising feature of OSS shown in FIGURE 10 ,with 50% of respondents selecting this feature. OSS is often more
flexible and customizable than closed source software. Energy
companies can modify the code to meet their specific needs andintegrate it with other software systems. Cooperation is important
as a feature of OSS for 37% of respondents. For 32% of respondents, security is one of the most promising features of OSS. This
paints a diverse picture of stakeholders’ opinions on OSS security,
as will be later shown.
OSS is designed to be interoperable with other software systems,
enabling energy companies to integrate different systems and data

User base: OSS lets businesses
capitalize on a broad base of users

sources more easily. TABLE A29 shows that 18% of organizations always

25%

use OSS to address interoperability issues, and 46% use it very often.

22%

Reusability: OSS fosters reusability
Don’t know or not surebrings further benefits for organizations, such as the identification

In terms of what factors organizations consider when choosing
specific OSS packages and libraries, we found that the quality

1%of source code influences OSS package / library choice in North
America and Asia-Pacific, whereas community / third party support

2022 Transformation Readiness Survey, Q30, sample size = 416, valid cases = 416, total mentions = 1,679.

16

is most important to respondents in Europe (see TABLE A36) .

2023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDYFIGURE 11

MAIN BARRIERS TO ADOPTION OF OSSWhat are the main barriers to OSS adoption in your organization? segmented by
In which region does your organization have its primary headquarters?
United States / Canada

EuropeAsia-Paciﬁc

Support: We need a vendor who
can provide 24/7 support toany software we deploy

51%

33%

Security: We are concerned
about the security of OSS

51%

32%

Internal expertise: Not enoughtechnical expertise within our
institution to handle OSS

32%

Performace: We are concerned about
the performance / scalability of OSS

35%

Reliability: We are concerned
about the reliability of OSS

43%

31%

Reliability: We are concerned
about the reliability of OSS

32%

Quality: Proprietary software
is of a higher quality

41%

31%

License: We have restrictions
on (some) OSS licenses

28%

Cost: OSS cost is too highcompared to alternatives

28%

Quality: Proprietary software
is of a higher quality

24%

License: We have restrictions
on (some) OSS licenses

28%

Cost: OSS cost is too highcompared to alternatives

23%

Cost: OSS cost is too highcompared to alternatives

27%

Policies: Our institution
prohibits the use of OSS

21%

License: We have restrictions
on (some) OSS licenses

25%

No barrier: We do not facebarriers to OSS adoption

3%

No barrier: We do not facebarriers to OSS adoption

Performace: We are concerned about
the performance / scalability of OSS

35%

Support: We need a vendor who
can provide 24/7 support toany software we deploy
Security: We are concerned
about the security of OSS
Quality: Proprietary software
is of a higher quality
Internal expertise: Not enoughtechnical expertise within our
institution to handle OSS
Reliability: We are concerned
about the reliability of OSS

Policies: Our institution
prohibits the use of OSS
No barrier: We do not facebarriers to OSS adoption
Don’t know or not sure

23%
4%
1%

45%

7%

Other
Don’t know or not sure1%

2022 Transformation Readiness Survey, Q31, sample size = 428, valid cases = 428, total mentions = 1,633.

17

Performace: We are concerned about
the performance / scalability of OSS

59%

Support: We need a vendor who
can provide 24/7 support toany software we deploy
Security: We are concerned
about the security of OSS

49%
49%

Internal expertise: Not enoughtechnical expertise within our
institution to handle OSS
Policies: Our institution
prohibits the use of OSS

39%
33%

6%

Other

2%

Don’t know or not sure2%

2023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDY

mentioned by close to half of the organizations. For organizations in

PERFORMANCE, SUPPORT, AND SECURITY
ARE THE MAIN BARRIERS TO ADOPTION

Asia-Pacific, performance, support, and security were top priorities.

As seen in FIGURE 11 , performance, support, and security are themain barriers to OSS adoption worldwide. But other factors are

The area of security deserves special attention when we arealmost equally as important, such as quality, internal expertise, anddiscussing the context of the energy sector. The subject matter

reliability. In Europe, support, security, and internal expertise wereexperts we consulted confirm that security is crucial, as grid
operators need to adhere to regulations while providing vital infrastructure. Therefore, the security aspect is extremely importantwhen choosing software. However, experts point out that security is

FIGURE 12

examined in all types of software, including closed source software.

FACTORS THAT WOULD IMPROVE OSS ADOPTION

According to one expert, it is not about open source being lesssecure or more secure than closed source software. Any software​​What would improve the energy sector’s adoption of OSS?

must be secure for energy sector uptake, be it open or closed source.

Industry consensus on how to use OSS technology andhow these methods will evolve / improve over time43%

INDUSTRY CONSENSUS IS KEY TO
IMPROVING OSS ADOPTION

Industry consensus for best practices to integrate OSS
technology into software development practices

43%

Industry consensus is crucial for adoption, as can be seen inIndustry consensus for best practices to integrate OSS
technology into risk and compliance processes

42%

how these methods will evolve / improve over time (43%). Therealso needs to be consensus for best practices to integrate OSS

36%

Knowing which distributor will be
providing tools and capabilities to OSSFIGURE 12 . We found that multiple types of industry consensus areimportant, such as consensus on how to use OSS technology andtechnology into software development practices (43%). Industry
consensus for best practices to integrate OSS technology into risk

Clarity about the timeline and milestones
for adopting / supporting OSS

34%

Education and FAQs about how OSS started, where it istoday, and how it will evolve over the next few years

33%

and compliance processes (42%) also came up high on the list.
Another interesting finding that came up during subject matter
expert discussions was related to the procurement process. As one of
our experts pointed out, there is a build or buy decision for organiza-

Clarity on what industry OSS
standards should be supported

tions. Those who pursue the “buy” route could have a procurement

31%

process where there is a knowledge gap on what software solu-

Other

1%

Don’t know or not sure1%

tions are available, and so open source gets underrepresented. In
Europe, this also becomes a regulatory issue since the procurement
process is regulated or semi-regulated for energy sector companies.
As procurement is a slowly changing process, people overseeing the
procurement decisions might not have the technical expertise necessary. As a result, OSS adoption can suffer the consequences.

2022 Transformation Readiness Survey, Q36, sample Size = 436,
valid cases = 436, total mentions = 1,151.
18

2023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDY

Knowledge Gap
The range of skills needed has changed because of digital transformation and the move toward decarbonization in the energy sector.
There is a growing need for individuals with digital skills such asdata analysis, cybersecurity, and software development, evenwhile conventional skills such as engineering and technical competence are still crucial. Professionals knowledgeable in energy efficiency techniques and renewable energy technology are also ingreater demand. With the need to collaborate across teams andstakeholders to address complex challenges, communication andcollaboration skills are increasingly becoming more and morecrucial for professionals working in the energy sector. To drivechange and adjust to the changing industry landscape, there isalso a need for experts who can think strategically and innovate.
Having a digitally adept workforce is essential for the energy sector
to thrive in today's rapidly evolving digital landscape. It is critical to

EXTENT OF KNOWLEDGE GAP

The knowledge gap in the energy
sector is moderate
In this section, we aimed to discover the extent to which thecommunity is knowledgeable of education, training, and HR
development programs around grid digitalization and transformation. This was also a good occasion to learn what core competencies are needed to develop to fill this potential gap. We also
asked respondents how confident they are that their organizations have the skills required to address their digitalization needs.
To get a closer picture, we also asked how difficult they find it tofill positions related to software. We also needed to know whatskills organizations demand and whether these are outsourced orinternally solved.

implementing digital technologies, making data-driven decisions,

Most organizations agree or strongly agree that they have theoptimizing energy systems to reduce waste, and improving customer

skills needed to address digitalization needs. More than half ofexperience. Therefore, investing in the digital skills of the workforce isorganizations in North America say that it is easy to fill positions

crucial to the success of the energy sector. Skills can be leveraged forin software and programming, but far fewer organizations feel

grid transformation in energy sector organizations in several ways.

this way in Europe and in Asia-Pacific. Data analyst, architect, andOrganizations in the energy sector can provide training programs forsoftware developer competencies are the most in-demand skills,

their employees to improve their digital technology skills, enabling

and these are the competencies that organizations most often

them to be ready and adept for the ongoing transformation of theoutsource.

sector. Online courses and certifications can also be an effective
way to learn new skills and technologies, especially those related
to OSS through the global online communities and foundations.
Organizations can also hire or outsource new talent with specialized skills in areas such as data analytics, software development, andcybersecurity to support their digital transformation efforts.

MOST ORGANIZATIONS ARE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE SKILLSNEEDED TO ADDRESS THEIR DIGITALIZATION NEEDS
Energy sector companies have deep knowledge and expertisein their field, which can be leveraged to drive digital transformation initiatives that are tailored to the industry’s specific needs
and challenges. Organizations are optimistic, as can be seen in
FIGURE 13 . 89% of organizations agree or strongly agree that they

have the skills needed to address digitalization needs. This finding
suggests that companies in the energy sector have the ability
192023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDYFIGURE 13

KNOWLEDGE GAP TO ADDRESS DIGITALIZATION NEEDS​​ what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement:
To
My organization has the skills needed to address its digitalization needs.

38%

51%

6%

Strongly agree

Agree

Neither agree
nor disagree2022 Transformation Readiness Survey, Q42, sample size = 430.

1%
Don't know
or not sure

1% Strongly disagree
4% Disagree

to effectively implement digital technologies and solutions torole in transforming the energy sector to drive decarbonization by

drive innovation, improve efficiency, and optimize operations forenabling more efficient, cleaner, and smarter energy systems.

decarbonization.
Organizations most often outsource data and software skills.
As we also aimed to get a better picture of how difficult it is for

TABLE A42 shows that 38% of organizations outsource data

organizations to hire talent, TABLE A45 shows the state of filling

analysts, 32% outsource software developers, and 30% outsource

positions in software and programming positions. A total of 56%

data architects.

of organizations in North America say that it is easy or very easy
to fill positions in software and programming, compared to 28%
of organizations in Europe and 41% in Asia-Pacific. For 6% of North
American organizations, it is difficult or very difficult, compared to
27% and 18% in Europe and Asia-Pacific, respectively.
THE MOST NEEDED SKILLS ARE RELATEDTO DATA AND SOFTWARETR AINING

Organizations in the energy sector are
seeking to improve their employees’
digital technology skills
In this section, we aimed to focus on training to better under-

Data analyst, architect, and software developer competencies are
the most in-demand skills for the organizations surveyed. FIGURE 14
shows that in total, 54% of organizations need data analysts, and 50%
need software developers. Data and software skills can play a crucial

20

stand the potential ways of upskilling the energy sector’s workforce. We explored what actions organizations are taking to
improve their employees’ digital technology skills. We also
examined different training approaches such as on-the-job or
online training. It is also important to know where training should

2023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDYFIGURE 14

happen, be it within or outside the organization. We investi-

SKILLS NEEDED BY THE INTERNAL WORKFORCE

gated what type of skills organizations are keen to include in their

Which competencies best represent the skills
needed by your internal workforce?

training programs, and we also explored the role of soft skills in
the energy sector.
Most organizations focus on improving the development process
and adopting best practices, while training happens parallel tothese actions. This means that organizations realize the impor-

54%

Data analysts

tance of not just training but improving the working environment

50%

Software developers

by revising their internal processes. We found that organizations
see value in both on-the-job and online training but would prefer

41%

Data architect

training within their organization, including from their internal

Security27%

R&D (Research andTechnological Development)

26%

Communication expert

25%Power engineers

25%

Designer / planner

24%

MOST ORGANIZATIONS FOCUS ON IMPROVINGTHE DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES

Front-end developers

24%

FIGURE 15 shows that more than half of the organizations surveyed

Project managers

22%Enterprise architect

21%

ICT staﬀ

15%

Change manager

15%

Trainers

8%

Tradespersons

6%

Don’t know or not sureupskilled workforce. Training outside the industry is still important
nonetheless. In terms of what skills should be trained, half ofthe organizations believe that software and OSS skills should
be covered in training programs. Soft skills are also deemed
important by organizations for digital transformation.

(55%) improve development processes to boost their employees’
digital skills. This shows that organizations are aware of actions
besides training that can help their workforce advance. 43% of
respondents selected the adoption of best practices as one of
the actions taken by their organization, such as agile working andcollaboration best practices.
TABLE A51 shows that there are various approaches to training,and organizations see value in both on-the-job and online training.

1%

In terms of the source of the training, TABLE A52 shows that 38%
of respondents would prefer that the source of training is within
the industry, and another 25% would like training to come from aninternal retrained workforce. 31% would prefer training from other2022 Transformation Readiness Survey, Q37, sample size = 435,
valid cases = 435, total mentions = 1,674.

industry sectors.

21

2023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDYA LARGE NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS SAY OSS SKILLSSHOULD BE COVERED IN THEIR TRAINING PROGRAMS

Organizations would like to see data skills in their training

According to FIGURE 16 , nearly half of the organizations surveyed

due to already-in-place solutions for outsourcing data skills.

programs but to a lesser degree than software skills. This might bebelieve that software and OSS skills should be covered in training
programs. The most popular skills to be covered in training

Soft skills are also important for digital transformation. Collaboration

programs are software development and software analytics skills.

among stakeholders requires communication skills. TABLE A50

Through training, employees could feel safer and more supportedshows that 36% of organizations believe that communication should

when developing or simply using OSS.

be included in their training programs. Project management is also
crucial for strategies to be implemented. Similarly, 36% of respondents believe that project management skills are also valuable skills
that their employees should be trained for.

FIGURE 15

FIGURE 16

ACTIONS TO IMPROVE EMPLOYEE’SDIGITAL TECHNOLOGY SKILLSSKILLS TO BE COVERED IN TRAINING PROGRAMS
What digital skills should be covered in yourorganization’s training programs?

What actions is your organization taking to
improve employee digital technology skills?
55%

Improving development processes
43%

Adoption of best practices
Better documentation

40%

Training

40%

Other (please specify)

1%

Don’t know or not sure1%

OSS development, operation,and maintenance46%

Cloud computing

42%

Artiﬁcial Intelligence /Machine Learning

42%
38%
33%

Programming

28%

Certiﬁcations

47%

Data science

37%

Attendance at industry events

Software development
and software analytics

30%

Big data analytics
Data mining
Don’t know or not sure2022 Transformation Readiness Survey, Q43, sample size = 430, valid cases = 430, total mentions = 1,053.

28%
1%2022 Transformation Readiness Survey, Q44, sample size 430, valid cases = 430, total mentions = 1,317.
22

2023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDY

Conclusions
The importance of digitalization
and being data-driven

appreciate. Data can also reduce risk since organizations cananalyze information that can facilitate the development of best

This research showed that energy stakeholders are consciously
paving their way to grid transformation and decarbonization. We
showed that most organizations have a digitalization plan in placeand find the transition to data-intensive processes important.
At the same time, organizations clearly understand the benefits
gained from digitalization and its impact on decarbonization,
which include the enablement of new services for customers, facilitating more automation, and supporting higher levels of collaboration with stakeholders and operators. However, a systematicchange of digitalization in the energy sector is still underway, as
the IT and OT processes are still separate in around half of theorganizations surveyed. Nonetheless, organizations realize thebenefits of digitalization and the role it plays in decarbonization. A
lack of digital preparedness is also a challenge that many organizations are aware of.

practices and risk mitigation. Being data-driven can give energy
sector businesses a competitive advantage in today's data-richenvironment. By using data to make informed decisions, optimize
their operations, and improve the customer experience, businesses can increase efficiency, competitiveness, and innovation,
while reducing risk.

OSPOs are key to OSS adoption and toaddressing governance compliance
Energy companies are keen to use OSS, as most of them areplanning to or are already using it for their work. As open source
use is best supported by an OSPO and / or security team, it is reassuring to see stakeholders understanding the role of an OSPO andOSS governance. Although there are benefits of OSS that are mostpopular among stakeholders, such as transition speedup andA data-driven approach can bring many benefits for businesses
in today’s world. This is especially true for organizations in theenergy sector as they transition from the traditional model to amore dynamic and sustainable energy chain. Businesses can rely
on data to make better decisions, as their choices are based onevidence rather than intuition. This can result in better insights
into customer behavior, market trends, and their own operations.
Using data to optimize processes improves efficiency, which is a
crucial point in the energy sector as organizations try to reduceenergy waste. In addition, data enables energy efficiency toappear on the customer’s side since smart home systems can help
simplify, reduce, and manage energy consumption on the household level. This also paves the way to innovation and to finding
new ways to develop products and services that consumers
23

cost reduction, they realize the vast array of advantages OSS canbring to the energy sector. Flexibility was the most cited promisingfeature of OSS, showing that organizations are keen to build theirown software for their specific needs. As performance, support,
and security came up as the most important concerns for theorganizations surveyed, the OSS community will need to convince
energy stakeholders of open source’s ability to meet or evensurpass the level of closed source software regarding these areas.

Training is a viable solution to addressing
the digitalization knowledge gap
There is a knowledge gap when it comes to digital skills; however,
it is moderate and differs across regions. Most organizations are2023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDY

generally optimistic about the skills they have to meet digitalization goals. Where there are gaps in skills, data and software
skills are the most sought after. These skills are often outsourced
in the sector. Organizations have not only considered training to
improve their employees’ skills but are also improving their development processes and adopting best practices. This suggests thatorganizations are taking a holistic view when strategizing how to
upskill their employees. Organizations see value in both on-the-job
and online training but prefer if training is sourced from within
their organizations. Stakeholders are keen to include software and
OSS skills as well as soft skills, such as communication and project
management.

Open source is vital to addressing
today’s energy sector needs
OSS provides tools and technologies that enable the development and deployment of clean energy solutions. As most OSS
is developed in a collaborative environment, energy stakeholders
can contribute from around the world, which leads to faster innovation and the creation of better solutions. From a sustainable
future perspective, transparency and accountability are crucial,and so OSS becomes an evident solution to ensure clean energy
solutions are deployed in a responsible and sustainable way. OSS
has been widely recognized for its ability to create interoperable
systems. This is not different in the energy sector, where multiple
technologies are needed to be integrated into the grid. As OSS ishighly customizable, energy stakeholders can tailor software to
their specific needs, allowing local solutions to a worldwide collaboration effort. Overall, OSS can play an important role in helping
the energy industry achieve decarbonization by enabling fasterinnovation, reducing costs, increasing transparency, improving
interoperability, and providing flexibility and delivering customization options.

24

2023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDY

Methodology
About this study

How missing data is handled

From a research perspective, we aimed to eliminate sample bias

Although respondents are required to answer nearly all questions

and ensure high data quality. We addressed eliminating sample

in the survey (the only exceptions are the open-ended questions),

bias by sourcing 89% of the usable sample from a third-party

there are times when a respondent is unable to answer a question

panel provider and the remaining 11% from Linux Foundation

because it is outside the scope of their role or experience. For

Members.

this reason, we frequently add a “Don’t know or not sure” (DKNS)
response to the list of responses for a question. However, thisWe addressed data quality through extensive screening criteria

creates a conundrum regarding how to deal with DKNS responses.

to ensure that respondents had sufficient familiarity and professional experience to answer questions accurately on behalf of the

One approach is to treat it just like any other response. In thisorganization they worked for.

way, report readers can see the percentage of respondents thatanswered DKNS. The advantage of this approach is that it reports

The worldwide survey conducted by Linux Foundation Energy andback the exact distribution of the data collected. The challengeLinux Foundation Research was designed to gather insights on thewith this approach is that it distorts the distribution of valid

current trends and challenges related to digitalization, OSS use,

responses—those responses where respondents could answer theand related skills in the energy sector. The survey was conductedquestion.

in 2022 Q4 and was promoted through various channels, including
social media, the Linux Foundation, Linux.com websites, and theSome of the analyses in this report excluded the DKNS. This can be

Linux Foundation Newsletter.

done because the data missing can either be classified as missing
at random (MAR) or missing completely at random (MCAR).

The final sample size analyzed was a maximum of 441 respon-

Excluding DKNS data from a question does not change the distri-dents. The margin of error for the survey data is + / - 4.7% at abution of data (counts) for the other responses, but it does change

95% confidence level. Not all percentages will add to 100% due tothe size of the denominator used to calculate the percent ofrounding.

responses across the remaining responses. This has the effect ofproportionally increasing the percentage values of the remaining

For more details about the screening criteria used andresponses relative to the number of DKNS responses. The number

access to the survey dataset, see http://www.data.world/of valid cases is adjusted accordingly. Where we have elected tothelinuxfoundation.

exclude DKNS data, a careful examination of the footnote for the
figure will enable the reader to determine the number of DKNS
responses based on the difference between the sample size (DKNS
inclusive) and valid cases (DKNS excluded).

25

2023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDY

their organizations, and 19% were in non-leadership positions. The

Demographics
FIGURE 17 presents a combination of employee and organizational

demographics. This was a worldwide study, with 71% of organization
headquarters located in North America, 17% in Europe, and 12% in
Asia-Pacific countries. Company size data (number of employees)
in the second panel was originally collected across 7 size categories

fourth panel in FIGURE 17 shows the distribution of organization
types in the energy sector. It is important to note that this was a“select all that apply” question. A total of 39% of our sample selected“energy aggregator,” but most of them also chose other energy
sector categories. More traditional categories, such as generation,transmission, and distribution, are part of the answer choices but we(TABLE A15). We aggregated and then recoded this data into two

also included more modern categories of the energy sector, such as

categories: 1 to 999 employees (71%), and 1,000 or more employees

flexibility services, congestion management, and EV mobility. Other(29%). The third panel classifies the role of the respondent andcategories include oversight or regulating bodies, academic divisions,shows that 81% of respondents were in leadership positions withinand commercial or industrial consumers.

FIGURE 17

SELECTED DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE 2022
TRANSFORMATION READINESS SURVEY
Organization’s region

Organization’s size

Organization’s energy sector category
Repondent’s
Leadership Position

71% United States / Canada

71% 1,000 or more

81% Leadership position

17% Europe

29% Less than 1,000

19% Non-leadership postion

12% Asia-Paciﬁc

2022 Transformation Readiness
Survey, Q8, sample size = 428

2022 Transformation Readiness
Survey, Q15, sample size = 441

2022 Transformation Readiness
Survey, Q13, sample size = 441

26

Energy Aggregator

39%

Distribution

22%

Research Laboratory

20%

Transmission

20%

Generation
ISO (Independent
System Operator)
Flexibility Services

9%

EV Mobility

8%

Industrial Consumer

8%

Commercial Consumer
RTO (Regional
Transmission Operator)
Academic

8%
7%

Congestion Management

6%

Oversight or Regulation

5%

Other

18%
14%

7%

3%

2022 Transformation
Readiness Survey, Q1,
sample size = 441,
valid cases = 441, total
mentions = 856

APPENDIX

Appendix
This Appendix includes a frequency table for every question in the survey and selected crosstabs referenced in the report. The “count”
column shows how many respondents selected a particular response. The “percentage” column shows the ratio of those respondents
answering a response to the number of respondents available to answer the response. For a complete PDF of the survey instrument, see
http://www.data.world/thelinuxfoundation. This Appendix includes 54 tables, numbered A1 through A54.
TABLE

QUESTIONS AND ANSWER CHOICES

A1

Q1: Which of the following energy sectors are you currently employed in? (select all that apply)

A2

COUNT

PERCENTAGE

Generation

81

18%

Transmission

86

20%

Distribution

96

22%

Oversight or Regulation

21

5%

Academic

30

7%Research Laboratory

90

20%

EV Mobility

37

8%Energy Aggregator

172

39%

Flexibility Services

38

9%

ISO (Independent System Operator)

63

14%

RTO (Regional Transmission Operator)

31

7%Congestion Management

26

6%Commercial Consumer

35

8%

Industrial Consumer

37

8%

None of the above0

0%

Other (please specify)

13

3%

Total

441

Q2: How familiar are you with your organization's transition to distributed energy using digital technologies? (select one)Don't know or not sure00%

Not familiar at all00%

Slightly familiar

00%Familiar

80

18%

Very familiar

165

37%

Extremely familiar

196

44%

Total

441

27

APPENDIXTABLEQUESTIONS AND ANSWER CHOICES

A3

Q3: Which of the following responses best describes you? (select one)Don’t know or not sure

A4

A5

A6

COUNT

PERCENTAGE

00%I'm just lines of code00%

I'm a real person

441

100%

I'm a bot00%

I just want to mess with the researchers

0

0%

Total

441

Q4: How old are you? (select one)
Prefer not to answer

00%Under 18 years old00%

18 to 24 years old

3

1%

25 to 44 years old

304

69%

45 to 64 years old

133

30%

65 or older

1

0%

Total

441

Q5: What statement best describes your current employment situation? (select one)
None of the above

0

0%Student full time or part time

00%

Employed full time

425

96%

Employed part time7

2%

Self-employed full or part time92%

Unemployed but looking for work00%Unemployed and not currently looking for work00%Retired

0

0%

Total

441

Q6: Professionally, which area best describes your field of competence? (select one)
Other (please specify)

6

1%

Academia / Education

92%

Business Analysis

102%Data Science / Research

82

19%

Design13

3%Developer / Software Engineer

171

39%

28

APPENDIX

TABLE

A7

A8

COUNT

PERCENTAGE

Finance / Accounting

QUESTIONS AND ANSWER CHOICES

24

5%

Operations / Support

40

9%Product / Delivery Management

7

2%

Sales / Marketing

15

3%

Senior / Executive Management

59

13%

Systems Administration

5

1%

Total

441

Q7: How do you identify yourself? (select all that apply)
Woman

58

13%

Man

382

87%

Non-binary00%Prefer not to answer

00%

Other (please specify)

2

0%

Total

441

Q8: In which region does your organization have its primary headquarters? (select one)
Other (please specify)

1

0.2%

North America (Canada / U.S.)

306

69.4%

Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean

2

0.5%

South America

5

1.1%

Europe (eastern & western, excluding Russia)

71

16.1%

Middle East

2

0.5%

North Africa

1

0.2%

West and Central Africa

2

0.5%

Eastern and Southern Africa

0

0.0%

Asia-Pacific (except China, India, Japan, Russia, & Australia / New Zealand)

14

3.2%

China

1

0.2%

India

32

7.3%

Japan

0

0.0%

Russia00.0%Australia / New Zealand

4

0.9%

Total

441

29

APPENDIXTABLEQUESTIONS AND ANSWER CHOICESA9

Q8: In which region does your organization have its primary headquarters? (select one) (grouped)

A10

A11

COUNT

PERCENTAGE

U.S. / Canada

313

71%

Europe76

17%

Asia-Pacific

51

12%

Total

440

Q9: In which region do you live? (select one)
Other (please specify)

1

0.2%

North America (Canada / U.S.)

303

68.7%

Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean

3

0.7%

South America

5

1.1%

Europe (eastern & western, excluding Russia)

69

15.6%

Middle East

0

0.0%

North Africa

0

0.0%

West and Central Africa

1

0.2%

Eastern and Southern Africa

0

0.0%

Asia-Pacific (except China, India, Japan, Russia, & Australia / New Zealand)

14

3.2%

China

0

0.0%

India

41

9.3%

Japan

0

0.0%

Russia00.0%Australia / New Zealand

4

0.9%

Total

441

Q10: What is the highest level of formal education that you have completed? (select one)
Prefer not to answer

00%Less than secondary (high) school00%Secondary (high) school graduate or equivalent

41%Some college, no-degree vocational / trade program or apprenticeship5

1%

Bachelor’s degree

67

15%

Master’s degree

318

72%

Doctorate (e.g., Ph.D., M.D., J.D.) or another advanced degree

47

11%

Total

441

30

APPENDIXTABLEQUESTIONS AND ANSWER CHOICES

A12

Q11: What were the main disciplinary fields of your education? (select all that apply)

A13

A14

A15

COUNT

PERCENTAGE

Applied Science / Engineering

212

48%

Arts / Humanities / Social Sciences

24

5%

Commerce / Business

79

18%

Computer Science

240

54%

Education

24

5%

Law

8

2%

Medicine / Nursing

15

3%

Science / Life Science

59

13%

Other (please specify)

5

1%

Total

441

Q12: Which of the following best describes the organization you work for? (select one)Don’t know or not sure00%

Government-owned organization

47

11%

Privately-owned / Investor-owned organization

387

88%

Non-profit organization

7

2%

Total

441

Q13: What is your position in the organization you work for? (select one)
Other (please specify)

51%Developer / Contributor

75

17%

Manager59

13%

Director

88

20%

VP

115

26%

C-Level / C-Suite

93

21%

Consultant

6

1%

Total

441

Q14: Which of the following best describes your organization's industry? (select one)
Other (please specify)

1

0.2%

Agriculture

1

0.2%

Automotive

9

2.0%

31

APPENDIX

TABLE

A16

QUESTIONS AND ANSWER CHOICESCOUNTPERCENTAGE

Business Services (accounting, management consulting, legal, etc.)

6

1.4%

Consumer Packaged Goods

0

0.0%

Construction / Engineering

12

2.7%

Education (K-12 / Primary / Secondary)

1

0.2%

Education (College / University)

7

1.6%

Financial Services (Banking / Insurance / Securities)

6

1.4%

Government (Federal / National)

5

1.1%

Government (State / Local)

3

0.7%

Health Care

3

0.7%

Hospitality

0

0.0%

Information Technology (IT vendor, service provider, or manufacturer)

75

17.0%

Life Sciences (biotech, pharmaceuticals, etc.)

11

2.5%

Manufacturing (discrete or process)

7

1.6%

Media (broadcast communications, entertainment, publishing, website, social networking, etc.)

3

0.7%

Mining, Oil & Gas

26

5.9%

Retail, Wholesale, & eCommerce

8

1.8%

Telecommunications / Internet Service Provider (ISP) / Web Hosting

3

0.7%

Transportation & Logistics (other than Automotive)

2

0.5%

Utilities / Energy

252

57.1%

Total

441

Q15: Please estimate how many employees the organization you work for has worldwide. (select one)Don't know or not sure00%

10 or less82%

11 to 497

2%

50 to 24919

4%250 to 999

92

21%

1,000 to 9,999

227

51%

10,000 to 19,999

66

15%

20,000 or more

22

5%

Total

441

32

APPENDIXTABLEQUESTIONS AND ANSWER CHOICES

A17

Q16: When talking about digital transformation preparedness, what perspective can you speak for? (select one)

A18

A19

A20

COUNT

PERCENTAGE

Other (please specify)00%

I can speak for the entire company or organization that I work for

279

63%

I can only speak for the department I work for within the company or organization

124

28%

I work across multiple organizations and can speak for what I see in the industry

32

7%

I can speak only for myself

6

1%

Total

441

Q17: In your view, what role does digitalization (the application of software and data) playin the decarbonization of the energy sector? (select all that apply)
Don't know or not sure10%

Unlocks flexibility

139

32%

Realizes new automation specifications

202

46%

Enables collaboration among operators

199

45%

Enables collaboration among a variety of stakeholders

202

46%

Enables new business models

179

41%

Enables new services to customers

207

47%

Enables the outsourcing of technical and commercial services

199

45%

Facilitates interoperability

180

41%

Other (please specify)

6

1%

Total

441

Q18: Does your organization have a clear strategic plan for digitalization? (select one)Don't know or not sure

3

1%

No

11

2%

Not yet, but it is in development

17

4%

Yes, but it has not been implemented yet

75

17%

Yes, and it has been implemented

335

76%

Total

441

Q19: Does your organization have a Chief Data Officer? (select one)Don't know or not sure

9

2%

No

14

3%

33

APPENDIX

TABLE

A21

A22

A23

QUESTIONS AND ANSWER CHOICESCOUNTPERCENTAGE

No, but this role is implicitly covered by other positions

38

9%

No, but this role is explicitly assigned to another Officer

44

10%

No, but this role is covered by a third-party vendor

21

5%

Yes

315

71%

Total

441

Q20: In your opinion, where does your organization rank in terms of digitalization
preparedness among the organizations in your sector? (select one)Don't know or not sure51%

Top 25%120

27%

Between the bottom 25% and the top 25%

201

46%

Between the bottom 5% and the bottom 25%

111

25%

Bottom 5%

4

1%

Total

441

Q20: In your opinion, where does your organization rank in terms of digitalization preparedness among the organizations in yoursector? (select one) segmented by Q8: In which region does your organization have its primary headquarters? (select one)
U.S. /
CanadaEuropeAsia-Pacific

Top 25%

23%

35%

42%

Between the bottom 25% and the top 25%

45%

46%

54%

Bottom 25%

31%

19%

4%

Q21: Which of the following statements reflect your personal thoughts on open source software (OSS)? (select all that apply)
Don't know or not sure1

0%

OSS is only good for academic developments

107

24%

OSS is simply defined as a permissive IP license that enables shared investment and leveraged development

179

41%

OSS covers only the non-competitive portion of the development

93

21%

OSS seems the right way to go, but diving into it seems risky for individual companies

139

32%

OSS enables shared investment that speeds up affordable development,
but I don't understand how companies profit

179

41%

OSS enables shared investment that speeds up affordable development,
and companies still can profit from overlaying diff

289

66%

None of the above

5

1%

Total

441

34

APPENDIXTABLEQUESTIONS AND ANSWER CHOICES

A24

Q21: Which of the following statements reflect your personal thoughts on open source software (OSS)? (select all that apply) (grouped)

A25

A26

A27

COUNT

PERCENTAGE

Strong believer

289

66%

(Partially) unconvinced

152

34%

Total

441

Q22: How familiar are you with how OSS is being used in your organization? (select one)Don't know or not sure2

0%

Not familiar at all

4

1%

Slightly familiar

19

4%

Familiar

69

16%

Very familiar

178

40%

Extremely familiar

169

38%

Total

441

Q23: How familiar are you with the OSS governance in your organization? (select one)Don't know or not sure1

0%

Not familiar at all

92%

Slightly familiar

22

5%

Familiar

61

14%

Very familiar

193

44%

Extremely familiar

155

35%

Total

441

Q24: Which of the following statements reflect your organization's beliefs about open source governance? (select all that apply)
Don't know or not sure

12

3%

Governance regulates the interaction of OSS community participants

246

56%

Governance protects interoperability

172

39%

Governance enables joint investment

154

35%

Governance leads to innovation and commercialization

242

55%

Other (please specify)

1

0%

Total

441

35

APPENDIXTABLEQUESTIONS AND ANSWER CHOICES

A28

Q25: What is the current state of governance for OSS in the energy industry? (select one)

A29

A30

A31

COUNT

PERCENTAGE

Don't know or not sure

12

3%

Governance of OSS is not yet being discussed and does not exist yet

24

5%

Governance of OSS is being discussed but does not exist yet

75

17%

Governance of OSS is being discussed and beginning to be implemented

200

45%

Governance of OSS already exists in some communities or foundations to ensure software neutrality

130

29%

Total

441

Q26: How much does your organization use OSS to address system interoperability? (select one)Don't know or not sure5

1%

Always81

18%

Very often

201

46%

Sometimes

115

26%

Rarely

35

8%

Never

4

1%

Total

441

Q27: Which of the following statements reflect your understanding of the role of an Open Source Program Office (OSPO)? (select all that apply)
Don't know or not sure7

2%

I do not know what the role of an OSPO is30

7%

An OSPO manages the relationship between the organization and the open source ecosystem

204

46%

An OSPO manages development and contributions to software both within
and outside of our organization to ensure the comp

289

66%

The IP Office can easily take on the role of OSPO

140

32%

There is no need for an OSPO, as the organization's developers directly manage the OSS components

64

15%

Total

441

Q28: How do you see the intersection of Information Technologies (IT) and Operational Technologies (OT) in your organization? (select one)Don’t know or not sure

8

2%

Clearly separate

206

47%

On the way to convergence

227

51%

Total

441

36

APPENDIXTABLEQUESTIONS AND ANSWER CHOICES

A32

Q29: What is your organization’s current open source software (OSS) readiness? (select one)

A33

COUNT

PERCENTAGE

Don’t know or not sure112%

We have not started to address OSS

13

3%

We are planning how to address OSS

67

15%

We are planning to use OSS within the next 6 months

86

20%

We are planning to use OSS within the next 6-12 months

61

14%

We are planning to use OSS within the next 12-24 months

28

6%

We already use OSS and have an Open Source Program Office (OSPO)

58

13%

We already use OSS and have a security team monitoring upstream OSS projects for vulnerabilities

57

13%

We already use OSS and have both an OSPO and security team monitoring upstream OSS projects for vulnerabilities

60

14%

Total

441

Q30: For your organization, what are the most promising features of OSS? (select all that apply)
Don’t know or not sure

7

2%

Shared investment: OSS allows for shared investment

117

27%

Cost: OSS can be installed and used at a lower cost than proprietary software

120

27%

Quality: OSS products offer superior quality

125

28%

User base: OSS lets businesses capitalize on a broad base of users

109

25%

Reusability: OSS fosters reusability

97

22%

Interoperability: OSS fosters interoperability

129

29%

Innovation: OSS enables faster innovation

144

33%

Productivity: OSS helps reduce development time

150

34%

Security: OSS offers better information security

136

31%

Cooperation: OSS covers sections of software development where cooperation is more rewarding than competition

159

36%

Reliability: OSS is consistently reliable

111

25%

Flexibility: OSS comes without vendor lock-ins, irrelevant features can be effectively
removed by the users, and the source code is free to modify

211

48%

Scalability: OSS can be scaled up and down so that businesses can achieve their desired results

142

32%

Total

441

37

APPENDIXTABLEQUESTIONS AND ANSWER CHOICES

A34

Q31: What are the main barriers to OSS adoption in your organization? (select all that apply)
Don’t know or not sure

A35

COUNT

PERCENTAGE

8

2%

Quality: Proprietary software is of a higher quality

139

32%

Policies: Our institution prohibits the use of OSS

103

23%

Cost: OSS cost is too high compared to alternatives

118

27%

Internal expertise: Not enough technical expertise within our institution to handle OSS

153

35%

Support: We need a vendor who can provide 24/7 support to any software we deploy

162

37%

Reliability: We are concerned about the reliability of OSS

142

32%

Security: We are concerned about the security of OSS

164

37%

Performance: We are concerned about the performance / scalability of OSS

165

37%

License: We have restrictions on (some) OSS licenses

121

27%

No barrier: We do not face barriers to OSS adoption

20

5%

Other (please specify)

7

2%

Total

441

Q32: Which factors influence your organization's decision to use a particular OSS software package or library? (select all that apply)
Don’t know or not sure

102%

History of the project

75

17%

Programming language used in the code

142

32%

Quality of the source code

210

48%

Community’s activity and engagement

157

36%

Number of maintainers / contributors

154

35%

Size of the user community

137

31%

Community / third-party support

129

29%

Frequency of release cycle

97

22%

Operating system dependencies

125

28%

Lack of an equivalent proprietary software

86

20%

Security

128

29%

Performance

107

24%

Reliability

79

18%

OSS license of the software

54

12%

Other (please specify)

1

0%

Total

441

38

APPENDIXTABLEQUESTIONS AND ANSWER CHOICES

COUNT

A36

Q32: Which factors influence your organization's decision to use a particular OSS software package or library? (select all that apply)
segmented by Q8: In which region does your organization have its primary headquarters? (select one)
U.S. /
CanadaEuropeAsia-PacificQuality of the source code

48%

41%

53%

Number of maintainers / contributors

33%

35%

37%

Community’s activity and engagement

33%

39%

49%

Programming language used in the code

28%

41%

41%

Community / third-party support

27%

39%

27%

Security

26%

34%

31%

Size of the user community

26%

44%

51%

Operating system dependencies

24%

34%

47%

Performance

21%

30%

37%

Frequency of release cycle

20%

30%

25%

Lack of an equivalent proprietary software

20%

18%

22%

Reliability

14%

25%

27%

History of the project

13%

25%

24%

OSS license of the software

8%

30%

18%

Don’t know or not sure

2%

3%

4%

Other (please specify)

0%

1%

0%

Total

A37

PERCENTAGE

441

Q33: What percentage of OSS can be typically found in most software used in your organization? (select one)Don’t know or not sure15

3%less than 10%

153%

10% to 24%

28

6%

25% to 49%

115

26%

50% to 74%

180

41%

75% to 89%

79

18%

90% to 100%

9

2%

Total

441

39

APPENDIXTABLEQUESTIONS AND ANSWER CHOICES

A38

Q34: What consequences do you expect for lack of preparedness for digitalization in the energy sector? (select all that apply)

A39

COUNT

PERCENTAGE

Don’t know or not sure20%Erosion of business

79

18%

Loss of jobs

81

19%

Increase of jobs

75

17%

Challenges in fulfilling regulation (loss of license to operate)

120

28%

Challenges in competitiveness

146

33%

Loss of customers

76

17%

Inability to onboard customer-owned renewable sources

108

25%

Missed opportunities in relation to transportation electrification

134

31%

Increase in operating costs

130

30%

Grid instability, asymmetric response to market signals, or supply-demand imbalance

130

30%

Inability to maintain position and role in the market

134

31%

Geopolitical instability

100

23%

Loss of (broader) economic competitiveness

113

26%

Penalties, fines, or regulatory actions due to energy service violations

124

28%

Other (please specify)

3

1%

Total

441

Q35: In your opinion, what benefits will OSS bring to companies in the energy sector? (select all that apply)
Don’t know or not sure

3

1%

Provides information that enables more informed risk-based decision-making

140

32%

Enables faster recognition of new component vulnerabilities, so companies
can understand immediately if they are at risk

173

40%

Allows different partners to test, contribute changes upstream, and consume the software—for free—and as needed

174

40%

Enables the organization to proactively identity alternatives for components that reach their end-of-life

165

38%

Creates awareness of risky components and enables users to pursue mitigation strategies

146

33%

Reduces cost through improved software component documentation and more streamlined administration

199

46%

Speeds up the transition as it allows organizations to share insights and innovation in the energy sector

192

44%

Other (please specify)

2

0%

Total

436

40

APPENDIXTABLEQUESTIONS AND ANSWER CHOICESCOUNTPERCENTAGE

A40

Q36: What would improve the energy sector's adoption of OSS? (select all that apply)
5

1%

Industry consensus for best practices to integrate OSS technology into software development practices

187

43%

Industry consensus for best practices to integrate OSS technology into risk and compliance processes

182

42%

Industry consensus on how to use OSS technology and how these methods will evolve / improve over time

188

43%

Knowing which distributor will be providing tools and capabilities to OSS

158

36%

Clarity on what industry OSS standards should be supported

134

31%

Clarity about the timeline and milestones for adopting / supporting OSS

148

34%

Education and FAQs about how OSS started, where it is today, and how it will evolve over the next few years

144

33%

Other (please specify)

5

1%

Total

436

Don’t know or not sure

A41

Q37: Which competencies best represent the skills needed by your internal workforce? (select all that apply)
Don’t know or not sure

5

1%

Change manager

64

15%

Communication expert

109

25%

Data analysts

233

54%

Data architect

179

41%

Designer / planner

105

24%

Software developers

218

50%

Enterprise architect

93

21%

Front-end developers

105

24%

ICT staff

66

15%Power engineers

108

25%

Project managers

96

22%

R&D (Research and Technological Development)

114

26%

Security

119

27%

Tradespersons

26

6%

Trainers

33

8%

Other (please specify)

1

0%

Total

435

41

APPENDIXTABLEQUESTIONS AND ANSWER CHOICES

A42

Q38: Which skills / competencies are outsourced in your organization? (select all that apply)

A43

COUNT

PERCENTAGE

Don’t know or not sure

123%

Our organization does not outsource skills/competencies

64

15%

Change manager

73

17%

Communication expert

93

21%

Data analysts

164

38%

Data architect

132

30%

Designer / planner

104

24%

Software developers

141

32%

Enterprise architect

79

18%

Front-end developers

70

16%

ICT staff

52

12%Power engineers

72

17%

Project managers

67

15%

R&D (Research and Technological Development)

74

17%

Security

68

16%

Tradespersons

26

6%

Trainers

33

8%

Other (please specify)

1

0%

Total

435

Q39: What types of vendors do you outsource these skills / competencies to? (select all that apply)
Don’t know or not sure4

1%

Cloud service providers

165

46%

Communications companies

164

46%

Consultants

139

39%

Networking companies

177

50%

System integrators

96

27%

Other (please specify)

5

1%

Total

357

42

APPENDIXTABLEQUESTIONS AND ANSWER CHOICES

A44

Q40: How difficult is it for your organization to fill positions in software and programming? (select one)

A45

A46

COUNT

PERCENTAGE

Don’t know or not sure

4

1%

Extremely difficult

113%

Difficult39

9%Moderate

164

38%

Easy

124

29%

Very easy

90

21%

Total

432

Q40: How difficult is it for your organization to fill positions in software and programming? (select one) segmented
by Q8: In which region does your organization have its primary headquarters? (select one)
U.S. /
CanadaEuropeAsia-PacificEasy / very easy

56%

28%

41%

Moderate

38%

43%

37%

Extremely difficult / difficult

6%

27%

18%

Q41: What are the main obstacles to reskilling / upskilling the workforce for your energy business? (select all that apply)
Don’t know or not sure

72%

Difficulty in identifying which skills employees have, which skills they need, and how to fill the gaps (performance map

162

38%

Training offer is not practical

105

24%

Training offer does not connect with the job requirements

152

35%

Lack of time for training

160

37%

Costs of training

149

34%

Peer pressure

91

21%

Quick and continuous change of technical skills needs

140

32%

Lack of goals

70

16%

Resistance of the workforce due to fear of failure, fear of losing status, or job security

124

29%

Resistance of the workforce due to a wrong perception of the training

53

12%

Other (please specify)

0

0%

Total

432

43

APPENDIXTABLEQUESTIONS AND ANSWER CHOICES

A47

Q42: To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: My organization
has the skills needed to address its digitalization needs. (select one)Don’t know or not sure

A48

A49

COUNT

PERCENTAGE

3

1%

Strongly disagree

61%

Disagree

16

4%Neither agree nor disagree

24

6%

Agree

218

51%

Strongly agree

163

38%

Total

430

Q43: What actions is your organization taking to improve employee digital technology skills? (select all that apply)
Don’t know or not sure

61%Adoption of best practices

184

43%

Attendance at industry events

161

37%

Better documentation

170

40%

Certifications

122

28%

Improving development processes

237

55%

Training

170

40%

Other (please specify)

3

1%

Total

430

Q44: What digital skills should be covered in your organization’s training programs? (select all that apply)
Don’t know or not sure5

Data science

163

38%

Big data analytics

129

30%

Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning

179

42%

Data mining

120

28%

Software development and software analytics

201

47%

Programming

142

33%

OSS development, operation, and maintenance

197

46%

Cloud computing

180

42%

Other (please specify)

1

0%

Total

430

44

1%

APPENDIXTABLEQUESTIONS AND ANSWER CHOICES

A50

Q45: What soft skills should be covered in your organization’s training programs? (select all that apply)

A51

COUNT

PERCENTAGE

Don’t know or not sure

6

1%

Project management

156

36%

Leadership

136

32%

Team working / collaboration

146

34%

Lateral thinking

119

28%

Communication

154

36%

Learning agility

151

35%

Change management

116

27%

Cross-functionality

121

28%

Interdisciplinarity

126

29%

Social awareness (interest in and understanding of social responsibility)

154

36%

Other (please specify)

1

0%

Total

430

Q46: Which of the following approaches to training are appropriate for training at your organization? (select all that apply)
Don’t know or not sure20%Online courses

151

35%

E-learning platforms

187

43%

Self-directed learning

171

40%

MOOCs

101

23%

Open source learning platforms

176

41%

On-the-job courses / seminars

191

44%

On-the-job practical experience

185

43%

Blended learning

112

26%

Mentoring / coach

88

20%

Other (please specify)

0

0%

Total

430

45

APPENDIXTABLEQUESTIONS AND ANSWER CHOICES

A52

Q47: In your opinion, which source of training should support most of the acquisition of knowledge
skills / competencies by the current and future workforce? (select one)

A53

COUNT

PERCENTAGE

Other (please specify)

82%School / academic education

21

5%

Training from within the same industry

162

38%

Training from other industry sectors

132

31%

Training from internal re-trained upskilled workforce

107

25%

Total

430

Q48: What are the technical and business priorities for your organization that otherentities (in your industry) should be aware of? (select all that apply)
Don’t know or not sure7

2%

Need to transform customer’s experience (increasing satisfaction while decreasing cost to serve)

157

37%

Need to reduce operating costs and increase competitiveness by building
agile, forward-thinking, and lean organizations

180

42%

Intelligent automation can help remove barriers between information systems andnegate the need for additional staff while still enabling commercial growth

193

45%

Mitigation of aging infrastructure and workforce through the introductionof intelligent automation and new technologies

185

43%

Innovation needs related to climate change and sustainability

146

34%

Ensure regulatory compliance and risk management

119

28%

Need to create future operating models in the face of the dramatic change in the industry

160

37%

Enhancing cybersecurity

126

29%

Other (please specify)

0

0%

Total

430

Endnotes
1	Source: “LF Energy is Accelerating the Energy Transition through Open-Source Technology,” Climate Tech Review, April 2023,
Accessible at: https://climatetechreview.com/lf-energy-is-accelerating-the-energy-transition-through-open-source-technology
2More information at: https://www.lfenergy.org/projects/powsybl

3

Source: The Business Value of the OSPO Report, The Linux Foundation, March 2023

4

Source: World of Open Source Europe Spotlight Report, The Linux Foundation, September 2022

46

2023 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION READINESS STUDY

About the authors
ADRIENN LAWSON is a data analyst at the Linux Foundation. Adrienn obtained a Master’s degree from the University of Oxford in social data
science. She supports Linux Foundation Research with survey development, analysis, and report writing. Adrienn has previously conducted researchat the University of Oxford, the Budapest Institute for Policy Analysis, and the U.K.’s Office for National Statistics.
MARCO GEROSA is a Professor at Northern Arizona University, USA, where he researches open source software, software engineering, andcomputer science. He holds a Ph.D. in Informatics from the Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro and was a visiting professor at the University ofCalifornia, Irvine. He published more than 200 papers and has more than 20 years of experience teaching and advising students, who are now
researchers in top institutions around the world. For more information, visit www.marcoagerosa.com.

Acknowledgments
Special thanks to Ferdinanda Ponci, Antonello Monti, Claudia Battistelli (RWTH Aachen), Hallie Cramer (Google), Jonas van den Bogaard (Alliander), andPaul Russell Salk (Utilidata) for their subject matter expertise at different stages of this project’s development. We thank survey distribution partners
Isabel McCan and Karin Wadsack (G-PST), Erin Autin and Faith Breaux (ZPryme), and Linux Foundation colleagues Dan Brown, Hilary Carter, Stephen
Hendrick, Anna Hermansen, Arpit Joshipura, John Mertic, Christina Oliviero, Melissa Schmidt, and Clyde Seepersad.

47

twitter.com/linuxfoundation
facebook.com/TheLinuxFoundation
linkedin.com/company/the-linux-foundation
youtube.com/user/TheLinuxFoundation
github.com/LF-Engineering

A first-of-its-kind initiative, LF Energy provides a 21st-century plan ofaction to solve climate change through open frameworks, referencearchitectures, and a support ecosystem of complementary projects.
Strategic Members include Alliander, Google, Microsoft, RTE, andShell, in addition to over 50 General and Associate Members fromacross the energy industry, technology, academia, and government.
Find further information here: https://www.lfenergy.org.

June 2023
Founded in 2021, the Linux Foundation Research explores thegrowing scale of open source collaboration, providing insight into
emerging technology trends, best practices, and the global impact
Copyright © 2023 The Linux Foundationof open source projects. Through leveraging project databases

This report is licensed under the Creative Commonsand qualitative methodologies, the Linux Foundation Research is

Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public
License.
To reference this work, please cite as follows:
Adrienn Lawson and Marco Gerosa, “2023 Energy
Transformation Readiness Study: Survey-based
insights into energy sector digitalization throughopen source,” foreword by Hilary Carter, The LinuxFoundation, June 2023.

and networks, and a commitment to best practices in quantitative
creating the go-to library for open source insights for the benefit oforganizations the world over.