Smart Digital Technology in Green Energy Production

Chapter: Results

The section seeks to answer the following research questions:

1. When did Smart Digital Technology first apply in Green Energy production in UK?

2. What are the benefits of digital technology in the use of green energy both on the environment and in the market and how it affects customer loyalty?

3. How has digital technology shaped the UK market?

4. How has the information system supported business decisions in the country?

5. What are the advantages of green energy use in the UK?

6. What are some of the challenges facing the use of smart digital technology in green energy production?

7. What practical strategies have been employed successfully to counteract the challenges in the use of smart digital technology in green energy production?

Study Selection

Two factors were applied in selecting the study articles such as time of publication and content focus in the UK. The articles of the study were analyzed according to the time frame about various publications on the topic dated in the previous decade. To ensure achievement of the goal, the research materials were arranged by their years of publication from the old to the most current. The study focused on the UK and this means content that is related to this fact was of great significance. Adequate selection of study materials aimed to accomplish the set objectives; hence ten journals were organized in chronological order, and classification based on the year of publication with the first study based on the topic published in the year 2008. Since then, an increased publication about smart digital technology use in green energy production has been noted.

From 2008 towards 2015, the trend in the development of smart digital technology in the UK steadily rises. Whereas the year 2014 the trend line rise doubled; hence the interest in decarbonizing energy production by the use of smart digital technology is considered stable from 2008 to the present time. The three literature materials are dated: 2008, 2011, and 2015.

a. Smart digital technology benefits to environment and market

The 2008 literature coverage is one of the events influencing the implementation of smart digital technology within green energy production in the United Kingdom (Martin et al., 2010). The IBM Company plays a critical role in the establishment of a planet with smart digital technology since it set the way for other firms. According to the articles, the smart digital technology is usually intelligent and interconnected, whereby businesses and the government are brought together to develop Big Data that transforms the traditional operations with mobile technology, analytics, the cloud, and social business. IBM has embraced smart digital technology, hence remains at the forefront during the “smart” generation, and continues to improve the life of its consumers increasing customer loyalty in business.

The 2011 literature material focuses on the spread of the Internet and the Internet of things around the world. The spread of the internet experience in business operations and other sectors of the manufacturing industries especially those in the UK. Consequently, there was the introduction of digital technology as shared knowledge grew drastically. In the early years, the Information and Communications Technology infrastructural investments grew steadily. The growth of ICT infrastructure work to improve the delivery of healthcare, education, green energy production, environmental management, and education among other vital services (Liao, 2011, p.2755).

The 2015 literature material comprised mainly of the topics about limiting the use of energy sources releasing carbon monoxide into the atmosphere. The journal articles aim to evaluate whether the proposed Kyoto Protocol, in 1997, achieved its goal. However, it became fully active in 2005 when ratified by Russia. The agreement ensured that all parties instilled measures that focused on the reduction of CO2

release into the atmosphere to below 10%. The agreed time for the developed countries to make the substantial change was the period between 2008 and 2012, and the second phase being 2013 and 2020.

b. Advantages of smart digital technology in UK market

According to the 2008 articles, the UK nations initiated the Covenant of Mayors, and the initiative focused on spreading the use of smart digital technology in various major cities with the aim of reducing the release of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The increased production of green energy aims at reducing the release of CO2 by 20% since the initiative started hence a successful strategy to execute smart digital technology. The European Commission governs the initiative under the agreement of Strategy 2020. The involved cities ensured to issue individual Action Plan for Sustainable Energy (PAES). The PAES outlines the roadmap for the fulfillment of the long-term objectives as entailed in the Strategy 2020.

c. Information technology in business

According to the 2011 content, mobile phone accessibility has improved over the years with its significance felt in both personal and business communication in the UK. Urban settings have benefited enormously with the development of internet connectivity which increased by 30% in 2010. The author of the literature observes the support created to promote the development of smart digital technology within green energy production. The outcome usually less cost in business operations and a clean environment in general.

As per the 2015 journals, the role played by the Kyoto Protocol proves to be a driving force for countries in the UK to adopt environmentally friendly sources of energy including smart digital technology (Grunewald and Martinez-Zarzoso, 2015, p.16). Moreover, the protocol drives the interest in the investment of smart digital technology to facilitate the production of green energy in the United Kingdom. Kyoto Protocol used adequately in February 2015, driving the need for green energy production to protect the environment against pollution (Štreimikienė, 2013, p.255). Hence, the implementation called for the need for smart strategies to facilitate green energy production. The use of intelligent digital technologies proved to be essential to fulfill the goal by 2030.

Study Characteristics

The section aims to characterize literature materials with the topic smart technology versus digital technology and green energy production focusing on the UK region. The various articles chosen applied two criteria of sample size and the relevance of the content of data as given by the authors. The sample size was a key characteristic considered in choosing the material and focus was on sample size of 500 respondents. This helped ensure that the content of the data could be spread to a wide area or scope in the UK and reduce the level of bias that is evident in small sample data. Large samples have this aspect of making sure that the article content is relevant and can be applied in a wide scope. The other factor involved the content that is availed by the various journals about smart technology in the UK. This element was applied by considering articles with digital and smart as keywords that explain about technology that helps reduce carbon emission through the implementation of sustainable production and use of green energy.

The literature materials organized in a chronological order to determine the various time frames in the development of these research topics. The ten literature works sorted and organized by the label ”digital” OR ”smart.” Digital technology came into existence before the smart technology; therefore, the publications of digital technology are better developed than the smart technology journals. The two topics have different time frames. Digital technology idea incorporated in the nineties, during the rapid adoption of internet users around the world (Buchanan, 2016, p.149). The first smart technology introduction was in 1994; however, literature materials about the topic were not as rampant as digital technology ones. In the year 2010, publications about the smart technology rapidly increased following the adoption of the European Union use of the term ”smart” to quantify technology that will significantly drive and improve the development of urban setting and other manufacturing activities, including the production of green energy (Dameri, 2013, p.2544). In that respect, the author determined two factors influencing the topic of digital technology since inception to the year 2000.

The year 1994 saw the inception of digital technology to drive innovation in the UK. The technology was first embraced in England before wales. The success in use is attributed to the adoption of digital technology in the city to enhance environmental management. After that, other cities in Europe and specifically the United Kingdom adopted the use of digital technology in their operations, hence spreading the digital technology trend (Schaffers et al., 2012). In the year 2000, the internet was widespread and coming into use in various businesses and personal life around Europe (Hurley, 2017, p.149). From the perspective of rapid spread, the authors consider the topic to have entirely new publications, hence the increase in the literature materials concerning digital cities. However, various other authors considered the original topic to be a little reconstruction of the publications done in the early nineties. Publications about smart technology have gained momentum from the year 2010. The three years identified by the author include 2005, 2007, and 2010 when smart technology trends reached a peak.

a. Strategies of successful implementation of smart digital technology

In 2005, the first publication of smart technology took place. The author attributes the growth to initiatives outlined in the Kyoto Protocol about developing ventures of green energy production in Europe and later in the UK (Grunewald and Martinez-Zarzoso, 2015, p.15).

In 2007 smart technological trends characterized the development of the iPhone by Apple Ltd. After that, the use of smart devices grew rampantly in the business sector and the personal daily lives of the UK population (Martin et al., 2010). These smart devices qualified on their capability of combining computing and telephony. As a result, such technology supplying digital services to its consumers has been termed ”smart.”

In 2010, there was an advancement of the knowledge about smart technology and its application in different sectors including, facilitating the production of green energy in the UK. The journals on smart technology became in excess as compared to those about digital technology. The author attributed the growth of literature on the topic caused by the Europe 2020 Strategy. The strategy’s goal is to ensure proper management of the environment, consequently improving the general sustainability across Europe (European Commission, 2014, p.174).

Risk of Bias within Study

The section on the risk of bias was based on theoretical journals and empirical journals used in the study. The author tries to understand whether the literature materials are academic concepts obtained from a theoretical perspective, or whether the literature materials are actually as a result of the implementation of smart digital technology in the production of green energy in the UK. Moreover, the author tries to determine the proper relationship existing between empirical and theoretical journals. Also, the matter of concern is to identify if Smart and Digital technologies are bottom-up or top-down phenomena. For instance, during the analysis of Digital technology application in the city of Amsterdam, the author finds out the case has been a bottom-up occurrence. The bottom-up phenomena about digital technology imply that it grew when the citizens incorporated the internet in their business operations and personal life.

In contrast, investigation of Smart technology in the same city, Amsterdam, implies a top-down project. In this case, the governing body of the City played the pivotal role to ensure the spread of smart technology use in various operations around the City. Therefore, there is the risk of bias during the investigation of both empirical and theoretical journals to understand the implementation of smart digital technology and its use in green energy production in the UK region.

To present data on the risk of bias both the theoretical and empirical materials are organized in chronological order by the labels ”empirical literature” or ”theoretic literature.” Theoretic studies are found and determined to be 60% of all the literature reviewed. A majority of authors adopts such study during their research in smart digital technology and its use in green energy production in UK. This means that the level of bias is high in data collection. However, the empirical studies are based on the real cases of smart digital technology implementation and considered 40% of all literature reviewed. The empirical study was used in the methodology to document crucial study data reducing biasness level. The investigation was based on the real-life scenario focusing the UK region. In the nineties, earlier research was mainly empirical as compared to theoretical. Hence, the conclusion is the use of smart and digital technology done bottom-up with the absence of an elaborate strategy to facilitate its implantation.

Results of Individual Study

The section outlines a simple summary of individual study data used in the research. Moreover, estimates of the benefits presented for either of the study used are given. To accomplish the goal, the literature material arranged in chronological order based on the benefits of smart digital technology and green energy use, especially in the United Kingdom. After that, the author analyzes the most validated benefits of green energy use and its accompanying smart digital technology applied. The study materials organized by benefits were 4 out of 10 literature materials. The four study materials published in the years which include; 2014, 2015, and 2017.

d. Smart digital technology and green energy use

From the 2014 material, ”Horizon 2020 - Work Program 2018-2020 Secure, clean and efficient energy” by European Commission, provides technical assistance promoting energy production projects under Horizon 2020 (European Commission, 2014, p.174). Another study material, ”Urban Green Infrastructure Planning as a Contribution to the Smart “Green” City by Reinwald et al., outlines the strategies to reduce effects of UHI, for instance through city scale planning and concrete building strategies. The measures found to be effective to reduce microclimate development characterized by heat. One such measure is the application of technology in the development of green urban infrastructure (Reinwald et al., 2014, p.759).

From the 2015 material, an evaluation of the study material ”Did the Kyoto Protocol fail? An evaluation of the effect of the Kyoto Protocol on CO2 emission” by Grunewald and Martinez-Zarzoso analysis of the results evidenced the benefits of the Kyoto protocol to reduce the emission of CO2 into the atmosphere by 20% (Grunewald and Martinez-Zarzoso, 2015, p.15).

The 2017 study material ”Achieving desired performance objectives in the energy sector through data analytics” by John Hurley determined the benefits of using smart digital technology in energy production. Incorporation of Information Technology within the critical sectors of energy production resulted in cost saving and increase in the overall throughput (Hurley, 2017, p.259).

Synthesis

After the collection of applicable research material, sufficient analysis and synthesis followed. Therefore, this section has to fulfill the goal of organizing the research material for systematic and effective analysis. Hence, the literature collected were arranged to facilitate investigation as follows:

1. Time Analysis; the evaluation of advancement in smart digital technology use in green energy production in the last decade in UK from 2008 towards 2015. To ensure the achievement of the goal, the research materials arranged by their years of publication from the old to the current. The analysis illustrated in the form of charts the evolution of Smart Digital Technology uses in facilitating the production of green energy in the region.

2. Terminology Analysis; there is the evaluation of how smart digital technology impacts the production of green energy, as these two concepts supplement each other. Therefore, the research materials arranged following the criteria of ”Smart Digital Technology” and ”Green Energy,” in addition to their year of publication. The outcome of the analysis was illustrated in a graphic format, of the literature material about smart digital technology and green energy in the last ten years in UK.

3. Socioeconomic Analysis; the analysis explores the benefits in the use of smart digital technology in green energy production in the United Kingdom. The benefits accrued in the green energy use can be manifested in business operations, especially during making critical decisions (Xenias et al. 2015, p.100).

e. Challenges in smart digital technology implementation

According to 2017 material, the analysis focused on the challenges faced in the implementation of smart digital technology. However, the strategies devised to overcome the challenges are analyzed to determine their viability for use. To achieve that, the collected literature materials organized with regards to ”green energy is in socioeconomic development.” The outcome of the analysis illustrated graphically showing the socioeconomic benefits accrued over the last decade with the use of smart digital technology in green energy production.

Additional Analysis

The section deals with additional analysis into the definition of Smart and Digital Cities to evaluate the similarities and differences since the original concepts are often confusing. To achieve the goal, the study materials arranged in chronology with regards to the main focus of the journals on the use of the terms in the UK. After that, the author analyses valid definitions of Smart and Digital City respectively.

1. According to (Martin et al., 2010), a Smart City uses ICT to analyze, integrate, and sense core systems are running the urban setting.

2. The definition of Dameri for a Smart City, involves a geographical area, whereby application of ICT creates benefits to its citizens’ through enhanced delivery of service, whereas, in defining digital cities, the focus is usually on the citizens of the cities within the UK.

A smart city involves the virtualization of the cities within the region, to create intangible dimensions of operations; hence people and services are interlinked to build a developer community. From the study materials analyzed, the definition of smart cities is recent as compared to digital cities. In conclusion, the definition of a Smart City outlines a vast dimension of meanings which include social, digital, and environmental elements.

References

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Dameri, R. P., 2013. Searching for smart city definition: a comprehensive proposal. International Journal of Computers & Technology, 11(5), (Council for Innovative Research), p.2544–2551.

European Commission, 2014. Horizon 2020 - Work Programme 2018-2020 Secure, clean and efficient energy, p.174.

Grunewald, N. and Martinez-Zarzoso, I., 2015. Did the Kyoto Protocol fail? An evaluation of the effect of the Kyoto Protocol on CO2 emissions. Journal of Environment and Development Economics, 21(01), pp.1-22.

Hurley, J., 2017. Achieving the desired performance objectives in the energy sector through data analytics. International Journal of Critical Infrastructures, 13(2/3), p.259.

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Xenias, D., Axon, C., Whitmarsh, L., Connor, P., Balta-Ozkan, N. and Spence, A., 2015. UK smart grid development: an expert assessment of the benefits, pitfalls, and functions. Renewable Energy Journal, 81, pp.89-102.