When bits enter just transitions: data and energy justice in digitalised energy futures

Abstract

Energy systems worldwide are undergoing a profound transformation. Transitions to low-carbon pathways rely on digital technologies to decarbonise and decentralise energy infrastructure. However, this digitalisation raises critical questions around data and its fair use—referred to as ‘data justice’— which remained unexplored in energy research. While justice considerations have become central to energy transitions, the specific justice challenges introduced by digitalisation demand careful attention to ensure it does not exacerbate existing injustices or create new forms of exclusion and inequality. To date, little emphasis has been placed on how digitalisation influences justice outcomes through the data generated and required by smart energy systems, and how these data-related issues might prompt a rethinking of social justice in energy contexts. This paper argues that integrating energy and data justice perspectives offers a critical starting point for addressing these emerging challenges. The study identifies justice challenges related to the production, ownership, use, and governance of data within digital energy systems. The findings demonstrate how data justice perspectives can enrich energy justice scholarship and help navigate the nuanced social and ethical complexities introduced by digitalisation. The study offers recommendations for policymakers and energy stakeholders to embed justice principles into the design and implementation of digitalised energy systems, ensuring that future energy transitions are both inclusive and equitable.