1. HOW CAN WE NAVIGATE THE TRANSITION PROCESS IN AN EVER-EVOLVING MARKET, PLACING INNOVATION AT THE CORE AS A DRIVER OF CHANGE?

In the journey toward transition, renewable energies play a fundamental role: they promote sustainable development, support economic growth, enhance energy security, and bolster the fight against climate change. Their widespread adoption is a crucial lever, and the challenge of renewables unfolds across multiple levels of intervention.

Digital technologies are an integral part of this process, acting both as an enabler and a catalyst for change while playing a key role in managing the transition. However, digital transformation is more than just technology—it represents a shift in approach and paradigm that encompasses people, training, channels, governance, and processes.

At the same time, it is essential to continue investing in research and development and pushing for public policies that encourage the widespread adoption of innovative solutions. This must happen without biases that might hinder their evolution. Only in this way can we build a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable future for everyone.

In addition to providing products and solutions to enable the digital transformation of clients and partners, Engineering is among the most active companies in research: it has the ability to attract funding from national and European research programs, supported by our team of researchers and data scientists. They are consistently engaged in applying and studying future technologies in collaboration with our partners and a network of “innovators” who bridge the gap between research and businesses.

Concrete examples of our work include our contribution to developing a platform for the local flexibility market (currently being tested with major players in the utilities sector) and the evolution of a market-leading Meter to Cash platform into Neta Open Suite, which already offers a solution dedicated to the Renewable Energy Communities market.

We are also ready to assist clients in exploring new or renewed business models, such as virtual self-consumption. Designing the transformative journey is the first step, followed by the practical phases of building solutions. These solutions increasingly emerge from a composable approach - a method that unleashes creative potential and leverages ecosystems.

Developing solutions in a composable way also means adopting a sustainable development approach, paying close attention to green coding practices. These are programming and software development methodologies aimed at reducing the environmental impact of software development activities.

3. ESG TOPICS, UNDOUBTEDLY CRUCIAL FOR THE ENERGY SECTOR, ARE NO LONGER JUST ABOUT COMPLIANCE BUT INCREASINGLY SERVE AS A DRIVER OF COMPETITIVENESS. WHAT DOES THIS PARADIGM SHIFT ENTAIL?

ESG topics can and must become tools for corporate competitiveness: from energy efficiency to quality, innovation, and rights.

Engineering is part of the Open-es community because it firmly believes that ESG topics go beyond the formalities of reporting - important as they are - and require a level of commitment and determination that only a network and a collaborative community can ensure.

Sustainability and energy transition have cross-cutting impacts along the value chain that need to be managed: from energy generation to its transport and distribution, and on to sales channels. This includes considerations about how energy is used (e.g., electric vehicle charging) and the evolution of production models that integrate traditional and renewable sources within a "prosumer" framework.

The success or not of a company will increasingly depend not solely on price - which remains critical given competitive pressures and market conditions - but on the perceived overall quality, including ancillary and integrated services. Companies targeting the retail market (applicable to utilities as well as downstream oil sectors) will need to evolve into providers of integrated services rather than merely goods or commodities. This is particularly relevant in a market where the importance of circularity and sustainability is growing.

This shift requires a complete redesign of business models, communication strategies, internal processes, and the skills necessary to sustain them.

We also believe there is an urgent need to pursue a more responsible use of water resources, which play a critical role not only in domestic consumption but also in industrial and power production. Increasingly responsible and sustainable use of this primary resource will be vital. Technology will be a key ally in achieving this goal, from addressing water losses to optimizing consumption.

5. IN ASSET MANAGEMENT, WHAT APPROACH CAN ENSURE A SUSTAINABLE, EFFICIENT, AND INNOVATIVE LIFECYCLE THAT COMBINES DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY, PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE, AND LONG-TERM STRATEGY?

A comprehensive vision is required, starting with the analysis and planning of investments, progressing through the design and construction of facilities, and extending to maintenance management and potential decommissioning. Digital technology remains a fundamental enabler of this transformation.

In the Energy and Utilities sector, technologies such as BIM (Building Information Modeling), PLM (Product Lifecycle Management), and Digital Twin are becoming increasingly common for supporting asset design and realization, complementing established asset management practices.

It is essential to adopt a value-driven asset management approach, beginning with investment management through the use of asset investment planning tools across the entire lifecycle. This approach translates into digital tools that support the ideation and design phases, such as managing and optimizing IP Rights.

Moreover, it involves strengthening control and automation within the production chain by investing in Operational Technology (OT) and security. This holistic approach ensures that assets are managed in a way that is both innovative and sustainable over their lifecycle.