Accenture: How AI Drives Net Zero Through Decarbonisation

A report from global consulting company Accenture, titled 'Powered for Change', offers a guide for businesses on integrating AI-driven projects to work towards their decarbonisation goals.

This comes as the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that global energy demand will see a large increase by 2050. The IEA notes that AI can unlock major efficiency and operational gains for the energy sector, which includes reducing costs, enhancing supply and lowering emissions.

Accenture's report proposes a multigenerational approach to infrastructure projects. This strategy encourages companies to look ahead while working on their current projects, which could lead to a decrease in cost over time.

According to the report, up to 75% of current decarbonisation plans are centred on short-term projects that provide immediate results. Accenture says this approach increases both cost and risk in the long term.

A multigenerational approach instead develops products, services or technologies once, with future projects improving upon the last. This means projects use a flexible repeatable design that can be continually upgraded.

Establishing a digital core for decarbonisation

The 'Powered for Change' report highlights that a strong digital presence is at the core of successful projects.

It states that “many industrial decarbonisation efforts stall due to outdated, fragmented digital systems that fail to capture and apply continuous learning across projects”.

Accenture has identified four main components that it says are essential to enabling the multigenerational approach:

• Scale-efficient resilient supply chains
• Foster community support and customer demand
• Reinvent talent, skilling and workflows
• Establish a strong digital core to power AI learning

Accenture's report says that companies embedding solutions in these areas will deliver short-term results while laying the foundation for long-term advantage. This approach to tackling projects could allow companies to reduce their carbon footprint and adapt in an unpredictable business landscape.

Utilising AI to accelerate sustainability

By utilising AI within their projects, companies can help automate processes, optimise operations and accelerate decarbonisation. Accenture encourages businesses to build digital ecosystems that improve workforce collaboration and increase regulatory and ESG compliance.

The use of AI agents can automate decision-making, forecast risks and create fewer project delays, which leads to greater project success rates.

Stephanie Jamison, Global Sustainability Services Lead at Accenture, explains: “Our research shows that bold reinvention changes the economics of decarbonisation.

She adds: “Companies can drastically reduce capital expenditure across iterations. And AI and gen AI can amplify its effects by capturing learnings across projects and delivering exponential returns.”

AI's impact on resilient supply chains

Accenture’s report claims that short-term procurement leads to inefficiencies in the supply chain. The proposed solution is resilient supply chains, which can enable the implementation of clean energy infrastructure without disruptions or cost spikes.

The report says that companies can build long-term supply chain partnerships through strategic investments. This is expected to lead to a 30-50% cost reduction over successive projects as well as more reliable and efficient operations.

The report also recommends that companies advocate for and invest in local manufacturing hubs to increase the predictability of their supply and limit geopolitical risk. According to Accenture, this can bring competitive advantages across project portfolios and increase access to low-carbon power.

“The journey to net zero demands more than one breakthrough,” Stephanie says.

She adds: “It calls for sustained progress over generations of build that significantly improves the business case.”