Sustainable transition: Solutions for addressing intermittency

We have reached a critical juncture where renewables, mainly solar and wind, are driving a global energy transition. This emerging energy era, however, is characterized by high levels of supply intermittency, whose management will require extensive computer-based control systems.

Given our dependency on a reliable and resilient electricity grid, this is arguably the major digital transformation of the decade.

A pair of complementary solutions are proposed: (1) four mirror actions (2) a symbiotic relationship between electricity surplus, direct air capture of carbon, and a verifiable carbon offset market.

Bio

Richard (Rick) Watson is the Research Director of Digital Frontier Partners and Regents Professor and J. Rex Fuqua Distinguished Chair for Internet Strategy Emeritus of the University of Georgia. He is a former President of the Association for Information Systems and was awarded its highest honour, a LEO, for his achievements in information systems.

Professor Watson has published over 200 journal articles and written books on electronic commerce, data management, and energy informatics. His most recent book is Capital, Systems, and Objects. His work has been accepted by leading academic and practitioner journals and translated into several languages.

Dr. Watson has given over 300 invited presentations to practitioners and academics in more than 30 countries, including conference keynotes on six continents. He is on the editorial board of Energy Informatics and the Sustainability Senior Editor for MISQ Executive.