Singapore-IEA Forum: Scaling AI for Smarter, Cleaner Energy Systems

Contributed by Thinesh Kumar, EMA

As power systems grow more complex and decarbonisation efforts accelerate, the role of artificial intelligence (AI) is expanding from experimental tools to critical infrastructure. Industry leaders and experts at the Singapore-IEA Forum discussed how advances in AI can be deployed to reshape the region’s energy systems.

The panel discussion focusing on AI was moderated by Laura Cozzi, Director of Sustainability, Technology and Outlooks, IEA. She opened the session by highlighting the relationship between AI and energy, sharing about the growing strain AI data centres put on power grids while also recognising its transformative potential for the sector.

Sharing his thoughts on this topic, Heijdra Michel, Director-General for Climate and Energy at The Netherlands’ Ministry for Economic Affairs, emphasised on the pressing need to develop international standards to guide the design of more energy efficient data centres.

Sims Witherspoon, Climate Action Lead of Google DeepMind Institute, shared how AI could be used responsibly to benefit humanity and the energy sector. She said that greater access to real-world data and collaboration between experts in the energy industry and AI practitioners can help develop solutions for optimising energy systems.

Lee McDonough, Director General for United Kingdom’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, shared that in the U.K., the government have implemented clear guidance for deployment of data centres to ensure that it complement their net zero targets.

AI applications, especially in grid optimisation, renewable energy integration, and predictive maintenance, offer game-changing solutions. Kevin Koh, Head of Digital Services at SP Group, highlighted the technology’s immense potential in these areas, but AI innovations still require overcoming barriers like data access and policy misalignment to achieve greater impact.

Juan Mas Valor, Chief Operating Officer, Vena Group, outlined the importance of collaboration between private companies, academia and public entities to drive innovation and develop effective policies, while cultivating the skills needed for the future.

Stay tuned as the conversation evolves throughout the day. Follow @SIEW_sg on Telegram and X (formerly Twitter) for the latest insights.