Challenges in platforming and digitizing decentralized energy services

Abstract

This paper aims to identify and classify the challenges and issues faced by the energy sector in digitizing distributed energy operation and services using digital platforms. It contributes to two fields: information systems (IS) in the domain of platforms ecosystems and digital services innovation and the field of energy informatics in the domain of digital business models and service innovation. Through a systematic literature review, we investigate current research on digitalization and digital platforms in the context of electrical energy services and identify challenges and areas for future research. The key challenges are then classified into two categories, each with three subcategories: Architectural challenges, including aspects of design, ecosystem management, and agility and openness; and business and regulatory challenges, including contracts and relationship management, business models, and standards. The main limitation of this study is that it does not focus on a specific geographic domain, which means that the results are somewhat general and may not be applicable to certain countries or regions. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research directions in the digitalization and platformization of the energy sector in all six-sub-areas.