Energy Informatics: Current Trends and Future Directions in Educational, Research, and Innovation Policy

Sustainable energy generation, transmission, consumption, and storage is one of the most important concerns in modern world, which includes technical, economic, political, social and environmental aspects. The right approach to solve this challenging and multifaceted problem requires interdisciplinary fashions to power and energy systems that bridge the gap between all the stakeholders (i.e., researchers, engineers, politicians, citizens, industry owners, and others). In such interdisciplinary study, the new Energy Informatics field plays an important role in which various disciplines generally address the techno-economic challenges of energy and power systems throughout the whole chain from production to consumption and sale/purchase. The purpose of this article is to draw an overview and, of course, an accurate view of the field of Energy Informatics by addressing the educational/research opportunities/challenges and considering the current consequences and future directions of industrial innovations related to this innovative field. This study, beyond purely scientific perspectives and by including reflections with applied and industrial approaches, facilitates data analysis to realize education and research policy for this modern area. Initially, recommendations for the content of the Energy Informatics introductory course were drawn up and discussed to educate the new generation of professionals who must meet the interdisciplinary challenges of new and integrated energy systems of the future. Then, a preliminary proposal is made for the establishment of the National Energy Informatics Institute, in which the necessity and structure of such a center is discussed in order to have a precise policy making; preparing to enter the future world of energy.