Piloting the Digicities Platform for Strategic Planning and Decision-Making

The Clean Energy Transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources requires a paradigm shift in energy generation, distribution and consumption. A key driver of this transition is the digitalization of the energy sector. Increasing interconnectivity and the advancement of Industry 4.0 is increasing the amount of data generated about energy systems and their performance. However, semantic interoperability between datasets still needs to be improved. A lack of interoperability restricts the development of scalable energy-oriented applications. Cloud-based data platforms can provide a standardized and systematic framework to integrate and process data but can also facilitate exchange between data producers and data need-owners. In this workshop, we will showcase the development of the Digicities platform, a modular, cloud-based platform that uses semantic data layers to support the development of energy applications and assist data exchange. Interested parties can register for the demonstration phase, which will run four months following the workshop (expected January-April 2025).

Objectives

  • Demonstrate the Digicities platform to stakeholders of strategic energy planning and operation and control
  • Highlight the progress of the Digicities platform and allow stakeholders to test the prototype
  • Collect feedback from the project stakeholders
  • Raise awareness of the platform among the energy community
  • Develop a road map for further development

Agenda

  • Introduction to the Digicities project (15 min)
  • Demonstration of the platform (15 min)
  • Introduction to the Digicities use cases (45 min):
    • Optimizing decision-making in the management of energy storage (SUPSI)
    • Strategic planning and optimisation of municipal energy consumption (Empa)
    • Monitoring and simulation of the performance of a zero-energy building (AIT)
    • Improving building comfort (AIT)
  • Interactive problem-solving with stakeholders (45 min)

    Moderators

    James Allan

    James Allan

    EMPA

    Dr. James Allan leads the Informatics & Digital Twins group at Empa’s Urban Energy Systems Lab. He specializes in modeling energy systems and buildings, focusing on semantic and linked data architectures. He is the project leader of the Digicities project, which aims to develop semantic data layers to support the development of energy applications and assist data exchange.

    Andrea E. Rizzoli

    Andrea E. Rizzoli

    IDSIA

    Prof. Andrea E. Rizzoli holds a Ph.D. in Control Engineering and Informatics from Politecnico di Milano. He directs IDSIA USI-SUPSI and teaches at SUPSI. His interests include simulation and decision support systems, having developed models for natural resources, logistics, and industrial systems. He has authored over 100 publications. He won the “Early Career Research Excellence” award in 2001 and became a Fellow of the International Environmental Modelling and Software Society in 2004.

    Ali Hainoun

    Ali Hainoun

    AIT

    Dr.-Ing. Ali Hainoun, senior scientist at AIT’s Centre for Energy, specializes in integrated energy systems and sustainable energy development. He earned his PhD from Bochum University and has consulted for KIT, FZJ, ESCWA, UNDP, IAEA, and AIT. Since 2003, he has advised 15+ countries on energy policy for the IAEA. He leads AIT’s urban energy systems analysis group, focusing on energy modeling, decarbonization, and PEDs. He has 80+ publications.

    Elena Marchiori

    Elena Marchiori

    L*3 Lugano Living Lab, USI

    Dr. Elena Marchiori is a digital innovation and research lead at the City of Lugano, Switzerland. She has extensive experience in managing applied research projects in the digital domain and designing open innovation projects in urban settings. Additionally, she is a lecturer at USI – Università della Svizzera italiana, where she teaches digital communication, analytics, and usability. She holds an M.Sc. in Media Management and a Ph.D. in Communication Sciences.

    Julien Marquant

    Julien Marquant

    Sympheny

    Julien is the CPTO and Co-founder of Sympheny, a pioneer in cloud-based software for sustainable energy system planning. With a PhD in energy optimization and experience on the topic of smart and sustainable city in industry as well as at the International Renewable Energy Agency, he has driven the platform’s evolution from version 1 to version 3, leading both its technical and commercial growth. Julien has also established strategic partnerships with industry leaders, positioning Sympheny at the forefront of optimization and GIS integrations. He remains focused on scaling the platform and Sympheny energy consulting services to align with global sustainability goals and advancing the energy transition.