In one focused day, the Summit brought together leaders, energy and digital experts, innovators and visionaries to explore how AI & Data, sector coupling, cyber resilience and AI platforms are already reshaping Europe’s energy system — and what this means for organisations in practice. The quality of dialogue and openness of exchange left participants genuinely energised. 

Artificial Intelligence is no longer a buzzword or a distant promise. It’s being deployed today to revolutionize how we generate, distribute, and consume energy. This post explores the executive playbook for digital transformation and showcases real-world use cases that demonstrate the staggering efficiency gains possible with AI. 

Tadej Justin from MEDIUS addressed a critical challenge in solar forecasting: most machine learning models are site-specific and cannot be applied to new locations without historical data. He introduced SunSafe AI, a generalized deep learning model that can predict solar irradiance for any location in Slovenia, even those without historical data. This breakthrough removes a significant barrier to the rapid deployment of new solar assets. 

Blaž Krese from GEN-I delved into the engineering challenges of managing distributed assets like battery storage systems. He stressed that achieving reliable flexibility from a virtual power plant (VPP) requires more than just algorithms. The key is high-frequency monitoring, robust feedback loops, and smart pooling algorithms that account for the real-world physical conditions of each unit, such as surrounding temperature and potential data interruptions.  

Petre Bozhikov from Craftworks presented a use case that perfectly illustrates the transformative power of AI. Working with Verbund, Austria’s largest electricity producer, Craftworks developed an AI-powered solution that optimizes hydropower plant operations. The results are staggering: a process that previously took four full-time employees three weeks to complete is now done in under three minutes. Beyond the time savings, the solution enables the generation of more electricity from the same amount of water—a significant sustainability win. 

Uršula Krisper from Elektro Ljubljana discussed the Synergy-NETS project, which explores the interaction between electricity and district heating systems in Ljubljana. The project is testing the flexibility potential of various assets, including CHP units, EV charging stations, and even CNG compressors for public buses, demonstrating the complex, interconnected nature of modern urban energy systems.  

Alan Hadžić from SmartIS emphasized a foundational principle: to achieve maximum efficiency, you must start with your data. He introduced the Observe, Control, React (OCR) framework, which enables agnostic data collection, builds knowledge through visualization and dashboards, and then applies intelligence to automate responses, thereby optimizing both energy production and consumption. 

Matija Mlakar from Siemens Energy introduced the OMNIVISE Energy Management System, an advanced, cloud-based control layer that optimizes dispatch and bidding for complex energy systems. By leveraging digital twins and machine learning, the system determines the most profitable scenarios across various markets, including ancillary services, and can autonomously execute them. This is the future of energy operations: systems that think, learn, and optimize in real-time.  

AI in energy has moved decisively from experimentation to execution. The use cases presented at Digital Energy Summit 2025 prove that real value is unlocked when high-quality data, domain expertise, and AI are tightly integrated into daily operations. 

Across solar forecasting, hydropower optimization, virtual power plants, and urban energy systems, the message was consistent: speed, scalability, and system awareness matter more than theoretical accuracy. Organizations that invest in robust data foundations, digital twins, and operational AI frameworks are already achieving dramatic efficiency gains – doing more with the same assets, in a fraction of the time. 

The competitive edge in the energy transition will not come from having AI, but from deploying it where decisions are made, at the pace the system requires. 

DES is where Europe’s digital energy leaders meet to read the direction of the transition,  before it becomes mainstream and where the rubber meets the road. 

Join us at the next edition of EU Regional Digital Summit: 2–3 December 2026 in Ljubljana. Be part of the conversations shaping Europe’s digital energy future – and consider bringing your own use case to the stage.