Recap of the NEFI Technology Talk: Smart, Digital, Flexible – Future Strategies for Industry

The industrial transformation towards climate neutrality requires far more than efficiency improvements alone. Flexibility, digitalisation, and intelligent systems are essential prerequisites for responding to volatile markets, evolving regulatory frameworks, and increasing sustainability requirements. The NEFI Technology Talk “Smart, Digital, Flexible”, held in mid-January 2026, focused precisely on these challenges and fostered an intensive exchange between industry, research, and technology development.

NEFI as a Platform for Industrial Innovation

Following the welcome address and the introduction of NEFI – New Energy for Industry – as well as the Innovation Hub “Flexibility” by Kerstin Pfleger-Schopf (Montanuniversität Leoben), NEFI’s role as an innovation-driven network for industrial transformation became evident. Companies and research partners collaborate closely to develop solutions for a resource-efficient and climate-friendly industry.

The Technology Talk was jointly designed by the Hub Co-Leads Tara Esterl and Kerstin Pfleger-Schopf and provided a clearly structured framework for professional exchange and discussion. Through the moderation of Tara Esterl, the key thematic priorities were addressed in a targeted manner, and strong links between practice, research, and strategic considerations were established.

An important thematic framework was subsequently provided by Claire Cance (Climate and Energy Fund), who presented the RTI initiative for the transformation of industry and outlined funding opportunities for forward-looking projects.

Practice-Oriented Insights: Pitch Contributions From Industry and Research

Delivered in a concise and focused format, the pitch presentations provided insights into concrete applications and ongoing projects. The contributions included, among others:

• flexible solutions for industrial processes,
• smart metering technologies to enhance efficiency,
• battery storage and marketing concepts,
• redispatch approaches, and
• research projects on industrial flexibilisation.

The presentations compellingly demonstrated how technological innovation, digitalisation, and flexibility can interact to future-proof industrial processes.

Deepening the Dialogue: Outcomes of the Interactive Workshops

Marketing of Storage and Flexibility

New regulatory developments are opening up additional scope for flexibility in the electricity market. In particular, the ELWG was discussed as a potential framework for new storage and flexibility concepts, including cross-site approaches. Flexibility and redispatch are increasingly evolving into economically relevant factors: companies capable of operating flexibly are becoming active system partners and are able to unlock new revenue streams.

Digitalisation in Industry: From Data to Decisions

A key outcome of this workshop was the recognition that digitalisation is of limited effectiveness without reliable, time-resolved process data. Major challenges persist with regard to data availability, quality, and consistency. At the same time, it became clear that standards, interfaces, and coherent data concepts are essential to transform data into robust decision-making foundations. Digitalisation was understood in very different ways—ranging from the replacement of paper-based processes to digital twin approaches. The common denominator: value is only created when data deliver measurable benefits in operational practice.

New Technologies: From Concept to Implementation

The focus of this workshop was clearly on practical implementation. Innovative technologies require demonstrators to prove their industrial viability. Discussions covered, among other topics, flexibility applications in the electrification of industrial drying processes, thermal storage solutions, metering systems, and the marketing of flexibility in electricity and flexibility markets. Particularly encouraging was the identification of concrete entry points for two pilot projects, for which corresponding follow-up activities were agreed.

Conclusion: Shaping the Industry of Tomorrow Together

The NEFI Technology Talk clearly demonstrated that industrial transformation can only succeed through the interplay of technology, economic viability, and cooperation. Flexibility and digitalisation are not merely technical concepts, but strategic success factors. NEFI provides a central platform for this purpose and continues to invite stakeholders to actively and collaboratively shape the industry of tomorrow.