The Role of Energy in Production and Territories
The National Forum on Energy Flexibility and Demand Response, promoted by START4.0 on behalf of the European Flex4Fact project, was held at the Blue District in Genoa with great success. The event’s objective was to explore the strategic role of energy flexibility in production and territorial contexts, with a concrete perspective on the transition to a more sustainable and resilient industry.
The day saw a broad participation of representatives of local institutions, businesses, research institutions, and industrial players, demonstrating the growing interest in issues related to energy efficiency and flexibility, the digitalization of processes, and the security of critical infrastructure.
The proceedings opened with an overview of the Flex4Fact project and its European framework, followed by round tables that explored the practical implications for the industrial world and local communities.
The forum also served as an opportunity to highlight the importance of European investments. for research and innovation: events like this represent key moments for promoting the strategic value of the funds made available by the European Community and for underscoring the essential role of projects like Flex4Fact and the industries involved, which contribute to demonstrating the technological feasibility of advanced solutions for energy transition and flexibility.
The meeting also highlighted how the joint commitment of industry, research, and government is crucial for reducing the perceived risk of investments related to the adoption of innovative technologies. In this sense, Flex4Fact is configured not only as a research project, but as an accelerator for the industrialization of digital solutions for energy flexibility, making it possible to test replicable models in real-world scenarios on a national and European scale.
One of the most significant aspects that emerged from the discussion concerns the need to move beyond the experimental and prototyping phase, guiding companies towards the systematic and systemic adoption of flexible technologies in their processes. The challenge is to make the energy transition not just a long-term goal, but a daily practice for the entire production chain, with benefits in terms of competitiveness and environmental sustainability. and energy flexibility. The day concluded with a moment of reflection and networking that fostered new synergies, confirming START4.0 as a national benchmark for technological innovation applied to the energy transition. The event’s success reinforces the importance of joint work between local ecosystems, the research community, and the production system, a key element in building a sustainable and digitally advanced industrial future.
