# Impact of Digital Transformation on the Energy Sector: A Review
## 4 Digital Transformation in the Energy Sector and Power Industry
### Drivers of Digital Transformation in the Energy Sector  
Economic benefit and revenue growth through introducing new products, services, and customers are the primary goals of all businesses; digital technologies have the potential to provide economic benefits for all types of businesses. Energy companies have recognized the potential of digital technologies and taken steps to become digital [50].  
Moreover, digital transformation in the power industry is being driven by a combination of factors. Increased demand for renewable energy, customer satisfaction and changed expectations, aging infrastructure, industry disruption, regulatory requirements, renewable energy, energy efficiency, cost reduction, increased competition, and the emergence of new technologies are some of the key drivers of digital transformation in the energy  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{p{113.8 pt} p{113.8 pt} p{113.8 pt}} \hline \hline
**Main Benefits of Digital Transformation** & **Application of Digital Technology in the Energy Industry** & **Types of Digital Technology Most Used in the Energy Industry** \\ \hline Environmental protection & Smart grids and optimized operations & Big Data Blockchain Blockchain Cloud computing Machine learning (ML) Artificial intelligence (AI) Artificial neural network (ANN) Robotic process automation (RPA) \\ \hline System security and stability and cost reduction Environmental protection & Smart market and flexibility integration & Big Data Blockchain Blockchain Cloud computing Internet of Things (IoT) Artificial intelligence (AI) Artificial neural network (ANN) \\ \hline Cost reduction & Anomaly detection and prediction & Big Data Cloud computing Machine learning (ML) Artificial intelligence (AI) Artificial neural network (ANN) Robotic process automation (RPA) \\ \hline Cost reduction Process efficiency & Big Data Blockchain Cloud computing Machine learning (ML) Artificial intelligence (AI) Artificial neural network (ANN) Robotic process automation (RPA) \\ \hline Customer satisfaction Environmental protection Smart home & Big Data Blockchain Cloud computing Internet of Things (IoT) Artificial intelligence (AI) \\ \hline System security and stability Customer satisfaction & Trust and transparency & Big Data Blockchain Cloud computing \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}
Table 5: Digital applications and their use and benefits in the energy sector [41].  
sector, and power industry. However, renewable energy is the most significant driver of digital transformation in the power industry. Digital technologies can enable power companies to optimize the placement and operation of wind turbines and solar panels which reduces costs and improves efficiency. The transition to renewable energy sources is also necessary to achieve environmental goals and lessen the carbon footprint of the power industry [51; 52].  
Customer satisfaction is another critical driver for going digital. Customers' needs and expectations have changed through the years, and companies compete to provide better services and achieve higher satisfaction. For decades, customers have wanted cheaper and more accessible electricity, and consumers from highly developed countries have had even higher expectations. The importance of climate-friendly energy, its use, and cost transparency have increased. Smart meters and smart homes are digital applications that can assist in meeting the goals of decreased costs, increased transparency, and increased usage of renewable energy [53; 54; 55].  
The smart home solution allows the daily measurement and invoicing of energy use, as well as the visualization and display of the energy consumption of particular household appliances [56]. This technology creates transparency and provides the opportunity to identify energy-saving potential. The utilization of artificial neural networks in such systems can help adapt to consumer preferences. As most interactions can be completed through online consumer portals, these solutions boost customer satisfaction while reducing costs [41; 57].