Interview with Barbara Schmidt on Resilience and Digitalisation
Three questions on digitalisation for Barbara Schmidt, Secretary General of Oesterreichs Energie, as part of our Executive Roundtable “From Megawatts to Megabytes and Back Again”, which we organised together with BearingPoint at the European Forum Alpbach 2026.
© Martin Hörmandinger
What role does digitalisation play in the transformation of the energy system?
It is essential that we manage to connect renewable energy sources, the many individual installations, energy communities and the numerous players in the energy system, and consider them as part of a whole. To achieve this, we need data and data connections. Until now, we have connected everything through electricity grids. In addition, we now need to connect everything through data networks.
What is particularly important when it comes to digitalising the energy system?
Taking a systemic view of the energy system rather than focusing solely on individual components. We tend to look at our own areas of responsibility, but those days are over. The system can only function if we consider it as a whole.
How can we avoid creating new dependencies, for example on major data and technology companies?
What is always important is that sovereignty must not remain just a buzzword. It is important to ensure security and resilience and to make sure that we retain control over our data. This also brings us to the topic of data centres. We in the electricity industry are certainly ready to contribute, but we believe that a comprehensive approach is needed here as well. Austria should develop a national strategy to determine where data centres should be located and which sites are most suitable. If we take this approach, I am confident that we can succeed.
Watch the original interview with Barbara Schmidt (in German).
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