IEA IETS Task XXII
Climate Adaptation and Energy Resilience in Industry under Uncertainty
IEA IETS Task XXII - Climate Adaptation and Energy Resilience in Industry under Uncertainty under the IEA Technology Collaboration Programme - Industrial Energy-Related Technologies and Systems.
The main purpose of IEA IETS Task XXII is to promote understanding and progression in digitalization, Artificial Intelligence, and related technologies, thus facilitating climate resilience and energy adaptation in energy-intensive industries.
IEA IETS Task XXII is currently in its initial phase—Subtask 1—running from December 15, 2024, to September 30, 2026. It will be followed by Subtask 2 (Climate Adaptation Readiness and Climate-Related Uncertainty in Industry) and Subtask 3 (Industrial Energy Resilience Under Energy System Uncertainty), both running from October 1, 2026, to June 30, 2030.
Introduction
Aim
Facilitating climate adaptation and energy resilience in energy-intensive industries, by promoting understanding and progression in digitalization, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and related technologies.
Focus
Conducting thorough analyses of energy-intensive industries, exploring the concept of climate adaptation and energy resilience, and applying digitalization and AI to enhance climate resilience and energy adaptation.
Current Participating Countries
Austria
Canada
Denmark
France
Germany
Italy
Portugal
Sweden
Objectives
Deepening
the understanding of stakeholder dynamics
By both deepening the understanding of stakeholder dynamics as well as unearthing the potential within related fields, the aim here is to pave the way for collaboration and synergy between researchers and industries.
Expanding
the knowledge base
This objective deals with expanding the knowledge base concerning climate adaptation and energy resilience within industrial sectors that are intensive in energy use. By doing so, the aim is to lay the groundwork for informed decision-making and innovative solutions.
Identifying
needs and strategic initiatives
The objective of identifying the precise needs and the strategic initiatives planned to strengthen the energy-intensive industries, the goal is to ensure that these sectors are equipped to meet both current and future challenges.
Subtask 1: Climate Adaptation and Energy Resilience in Industry under Uncertainty
Subtask 1 ran from December 15, 2024, to September 30, 2026, coordinated by the University of Southern Denmark. Its purpose was to establish a shared conceptual and empirical foundation for Task XXII — reviewing the state of the art, surveying participating countries, and identifying priorities for future collaboration in climate resilience and energy adaptation for energy-intensive industry.
The Subtask produced two peer-reviewed publications. A PRISMA-guided scoping review synthesized evidence from 74 studies on climate resilience and energy flexibility in industrial systems, examining definitions, enabling technologies, sectoral applications, and barriers to implementation. An international expert survey of 29 IEA IETS member representatives further assessed AI and digitalization readiness across participating countries, finding that most industrial AI applications remain at the pilot stage, with regulatory uncertainty and implementation costs as the leading barriers to adoption.
Together, these outputs led to the Climate-Resilient Industrial Flexibility Framework — a model connecting conceptual foundations, physical and digital enabling technologies, sector-specific contexts, and policy and market structures. This framework now forms the analytical basis for Subtasks 2 and 3.
Organization of Work
Activity A
Definitions, and preliminary state-of-the-art investigations
Activity A aims to conduct preliminary state-of-the-art investigations to:
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Outline definitions and terminologies associated with climate adaptation and energy resilience in industry.
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List technologies and methods that facilitate energy flexibility in industry.
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Highlight the applications (specific industries) mentioned in scholarly literature.
Activity B
Survey in participating IETS countries
Activity B aims to conduct a survey with the task partners, focusing on:
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The current status, potential, driving factors, obstacles, and requirements for the adoption of climate adaptation and energy resilience within the industry.
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Collect examples or case studies.
Activity C
Exchange with other IEA TCPs and IETS Tasks
This activity aims to identify potential collaborations with other IEA TCPs and IETS Tasks by:
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Establishing communication pathways to facilitate both the exchange of knowledge and the exploration of potential collaborative efforts of shared interest.
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Creating a cooperative framework between the current Task and other IETS Tasks, as well as with different IEA TCPs.
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Considering joint activities, such as attending each other’s workshops, sharing valuable insights among Task members, and arranging brief conference calls.
Activity D
Proposals for future Subtasks
This activity’s goal is to recommend subsequent subtasks by:
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Carrying out a joint, in-depth analysis of shared objectives and interests among Task participants.
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Cooperatively formulating proposals for future subtasks with input from Task members.
Subtask 2: Climate Adaptation Readiness and Climate-Related Uncertainty in Industry
IEA IETS Task XXII's second phase—Subtask 2—runs from October 1, 2026, to June 30, 2030.
Building on the foundations laid in Subtask 1, this subtask focuses on climate-related uncertainty and the readiness of industrial systems to anticipate, absorb, respond to, and recover from climate-related disturbances such as heat stress, flooding, storm disruption, water scarcity, and supply-chain interruption. It strengthens knowledge on how energy-intensive and other relevant industrial sectors understand and manage these risks, and identifies practical approaches for improving industrial adaptation readiness.
Organization of Work
Activity A
Conceptual framework and uncertainty typologyk
Activity A aims to refine the working concepts used in the Subtask by:
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Developing a clear typology of climate-related uncertainty for industrial contexts.
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Defining the readiness dimensions that will guide comparison across countries and sectors.
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Identifying boundary conditions and a common analytical template for participant contributions.
Activity B
National mapping and industrial cases
Activity B aims to gather structured input from participating countries by:
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Mapping key industrial climate-related risks, sectoral exposure patterns, and institutional conditions.
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Collecting industrial examples, including national policy context, sector profiles, and case summaries.
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Compiling short analytical notes on adaptation practice and gaps.
Activity C
Adaptation strategies, data, and digital support
This activity aims to examine how industry assesses and responds to climate-related uncertainty by:
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Analyzing adaptation strategies, data sources, indicators, and risk assessment practices.
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Reviewing monitoring needs and scenario use.
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Assessing the strengths and limitations of digital tools and artificial intelligence for adaptation planning and operational support.
Activity D
Comparative synthesis, guideance, and dissimination
This activity's goal is to integrate country and case contributions by:
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Identifying recurring readiness gaps and promising practices across countries and sectors.
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Preparing the Subtask's comparative outputs and guidance.
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Supporting stakeholder dialogue and dissemination through reports, webinars, conferences, and scientific publications.
Subtask manager: Zheng Grace Ma, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark
Subtask 3: Industrial Energy Resilience Under Energy System Uncertainty
Running alongside Subtask 2 from October 1, 2026, to June 30, 2030, Subtask 3 addresses the second major dimension of uncertainty facing energy-intensive industry.
This subtask focuses on energy system uncertainty and the strategies industries use to remain resilient amid changing energy conditions, including volatile energy prices, market rule changes, electrification pressures, weather-dependent wind and solar power variability, infrastructure dependencies, regulatory change, and geopolitical instability. It builds on the foundations from Subtask 1 to generate comparative insight and practical guidance toward the 2030 climate and energy transition horizon.
Organization of Work
Activity A
Energy system uncertainty typology and resilience framework
Activity A aims to define the core concepts used in the Subtask by:
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Developing a practical typology of energy system uncertainty in industry.
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Defining the resilience dimensions that will guide country and case comparisons, including continuity, adaptability, robustness, and strategic flexibility.
Activity B
National mapping and industrial cases
Activity B aims to collect structured contributions from participating countries by:
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Mapping the industrial energy uncertainty landscape, sectoral challenges, and policy and market context.
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Gathering relevant industrial examples.
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Creating a comparative evidence base reflecting different industrial structures and energy system conditions.
Activity C
Industrial strategies, data, and digital support
This activity aims to analyze industrial strategies for managing energy system uncertainty by:
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Reviewing flexible operation, energy source diversification, storage, and procurement strategies.
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Examining market participation, monitoring, and forecasting practices.
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Assessing digital platforms and AI-based decision support, with attention to robustness, transparency, and practical constraints.
Activity D
Comparative synthesis, guideance, and dissimination
This activity's goal is to synthesize findings across countries and sectors by:
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Identifying common strategy patterns and critical gaps.
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Preparing the main Subtask outputs.
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Supporting communication with industry and policy stakeholders and developing recommendations for future work.
Subtask manager: Qian Wang, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
Upcoming Events
To be announced soon
Past Activities and Milestones
Related Publications
Publications from the IEA IETS Task XXII Climate Resilience and Energy Adaptation in Industry under Uncertainty highlight shared insights and experiences from participating partners, documenting lessons learned and emerging perspectives on industrial climate resilience and energy adaptation.
Webinars and Knowledge Sharing
This section provides recorded webinars from the activities of IEA IETS Task XXII – Climate Resilience and Energy Adaptation in Industry under Uncertainty.
The webinars present insights from participating researchers, industry experts, and international partners. They highlight emerging research results, methodological developments, and practical experiences related to climate resilience, energy flexibility, and digitalization in energy-intensive industries.
Through these webinars, the Task aims to disseminate knowledge, facilitate international collaboration, and support the development of resilient and adaptive industrial energy systems.
Webinar Recordings – 2026
Modeling BEV Duty Cycles and Charging Power Needs in Mines
Unlocking Industrial Flexibility in Ancillary Services
AI in Industrial Energy Systems: Optimization, Flexibility & Resilience
Webinar Recordings – 2025
From Hourly to Quarter Hourly Flexibility Strategies for 15 Minute Day Ahead Market
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