Accelerating energy efficiency through digitalization
Accelerating energy efficiency improvements can deliver over a third of all carbon dioxide (CO2) emission reductions between now and 2030 (IEA, 2024).
The Digital Demand-Driven Electricity Networks Initiative (3DEN) helps countries use digital tools to make their energy systems more efficient, accessible, and clean.
Launched in 2021, with the support of Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, the International Energy Agency (IEA), and UNEP, 3DEN supports pilot projects and offers technical and regulatory guidance, that turn data into action—and prove that energy efficiency can be a force for climate progress.
3DEN is accelerating energy efficiency through digitalization. By working with private companies on the ground, 3DEN helps generate real data, shape better policies, build markets for scale, and uncover new ways to solve energy challenges.
How does 3DEN work?
3DEN invests in real-world solutions. From grid digital twins in India to gamified demand-response apps in Brazil, the Initiative has shown how digital tools can make systems smarter, more resilient, and more accessible.
At the heart of this innovation is a strong focus on collaboration with the private sector by expanding local data availability and accelerating implementation and investment readiness.
Phase I achievements
Phase I mobilized over USD 9.2 million USD across four pilot countries, avoided more than 685,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions and reached 140,000 beneficiaries.
- In India, a consortium developed a digital twin for electric distribution grids in partnership with Panitek Power and the Energy and Resources Institute. This tool enhanced operational reliability, improved outage management and reduced costs for 20,000 consumers.
- In Brazil, a pilot project empowered residents living in social housing through smart digital tools which allowed them to manage their energy consumption and therefore reduce costs and energy waste.
- In Morocco, the project supported Les Eaux Minérales d'Oulmès to implement advanced energy monitoring systems, reducing energy consumption by 25 per cent.
- In Colombia, the Enelflex project engaged over 100,000 users in a demand-response initiative, reducing power interruptions and emissions.
What’s next?
In early 2025, 3DEN launched a new global Call for Proposals to support digital energy innovation in eight priority countries: Brazil, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Tunisia.
The selected projects will be announced at COP30 in Belém, Brazil.
