Effective Management of Energy Consumption during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of ICT Solutions

Abstract

This research tackles effective and functional management practices in energy consumption using advanced technological solutions to mitigate unexpected events. This study specifically focuses on the recent COVID-19 pandemic that led to a reduction in energy consumption and therefore meddled with the project management’s status quo for the energy sources. Moreover, this research analyzes the role of information and communication technology (ICT) solutions in energy management before and after the recent coronavirus pandemic turmoil. This study also examined the role and place of sustainable energy resources in the effective management of energy consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main purpose of this research is to demonstrate how the recent coronavirus pandemic affected energy consumption and energy prices in many countries and how it paved the way for the new ICT in managing energy consumption. This study elaborated a model to show how these changes evolved in selected European Union (EU) Member States. It turns out that adjusted electricity consumption, as well as the average daily spot electricity prices for the baseload power in the EU countries, declined, and this trend is likely to continue in the next years to come. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, substantial changes in the economy led to reduced office space usage, cutting commuting and business trips, and bringing commercial travel almost to a halt, further shifting the energy balance towards renewable energy sources (RES). Besides, it becomes apparent that ICT solutions used in maintaining and superintending the energy balance are gaining popularity and wide recognition worldwide and will help pave the way towards modern and smart high-renewables grids.

Green finance and the economic threats during COVID-19 pandemic

“…To deal with the direct economic impact of coronavirus, banks must have plans to protect employees and customers from its spread. Closures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus have brought economic activity to a standstill in many sectors, with significant implications for businesses and households (Strielkowski et al, 2021). Companies that rely on selling goods and services such as restaurants, hotels and retail outlets have lost revenue streams.…”

Energy and Environmental Effects of Human Habits in Residential Buildings Due to COVID-19 Outbreak Scenarios in a Dwelling near Rome

“…Besides the evidences from the literature, the relevance of occupancy profiles, schedules, and habits inside our homes were experienced by everyone during the pandemic, as living habits changed [12,13] and, in turn, the energy consumption [14,15] and corresponding billing.…”

Analysis of the Possibility of Disinfecting Surfaces Using Portable Foggers in the Era of the SARS-CoV-2 Epidemic

“…Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has become a global pandemic and has affected many aspects of life, including economic and social systems, health care, transportation, and the energy industry [1][2][3]. A serious problem that has arisen in connection with the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 virus epidemic is the aspect of surface decontamination [4,5].…”

“…Disinfection was performed on anti-bacterial, oligodynamic copper and brass materials, and on stainless steel, aluminum, polyvinyl chloride, wood, and ceramics. In the case of stainless steel, aluminum, ceramics, and polyvinyl chloride, the disinfection of spores on a surface of 40 cm 2 was achieved with the use of 60 mL of the preparation per m 3 . A 30% higher dose was needed to disinfect oligodynamic copper and brass materials.…”