Act Now: Why Digital Transformation Can’t Wait in the Race to Net Zero
There’s something powerful about the right people being in the right room at the right time. That’s exactly what happened at the e-FWD Momentum Breakfast in Liverpool. Hosted by E-FWD, the Momentum Morning is a dynamic breakfast briefing that brings together industry leaders, policy-makers, and local stakeholders to explore how new energy investment can drive long-term regional and economic growth.
During the event, the spotlight was firmly on HyNet North-West, a bold initiative to create a hydrogen energy network and carbon capture system that could shape the national approach to decarbonization.
Far from a typical industry briefing, this was a defining moment. It brought clarity and urgency to a complex challenge. For years, there has been a lot of noise surrounding net zero. But this event cut through the noise. The message was clear: the energy transition needs to accelerate, and digital transformation must lead the way. Net zero is not a long-term ambition. It is an urgent transformation that requires digitally connected, AI-enabled energy systems that are scalable, intelligent, and resilient. Without this, progress will stall before impact is achieved.
Enabling End-to-End Asset Lifecycle Management
Asset Lifecycle Management is essential to achieving net zero, because it provides the operational foundation to reduce emissions, extend asset life, and optimise resource use at every stage. It ensures sustainability is embedded from the very beginning – starting with investment planning and design, through to construction, commissioning, operation, maintenance, and ultimately decommissioning or repurposing.
But managing this lifecycle effectively requires more than siloed digital tools. It demands a unified view that connects long-term strategy with day-to-day execution, aligns financial and ESG objectives with asset performance, and enables rapid adaptation as conditions evolve.
This is where IFS solutions come into play, not as isolated tools, but as part of a connected digital ecosystem that supports true transformation. For organizations driving initiatives like HyNet, capabilities such as IFS Enterprise Asset Management, IFS Field Service Management, IFS Enterprise Resource Planning and Asset Investment Planning provides the foundation to plan, optimise, and maintain both physical and digital assets with precision.
With Industrial AI embedded throughout the platform, teams can orchestrate skilled workforces across geographically distributed and highly regulated environments, automate preventive and predictive maintenance, and respond to potential disruptions before they escalate. Just as critically, IFS solutions make it possible to embed ESG and carbon tracking directly into daily operations, turning sustainability from a reporting obligation into a real-time, measurable driver of operational decisions. And with cloud technology, these capabilities become accessible without being constrained by legacy systems or fragmented data landscapes.
Creating a Backbone for Success
For projects like HyNet, digital infrastructure isn’t just a support function, it’s the backbone that connects data, people, and physical systems into one cohesive operation. It’s what turns vision into executable action, helping organisations anticipate challenges, optimise performance, and maintain momentum.
In Liverpool, the energy and determination were palpable. I left the event more convinced than ever that digital capability will be the catalyst that transforms ambition into lasting impact.
To the HyNet team, the e-FWD organisers, and everyone in the North-West blazing this trail, thank you. Together, we have an opportunity to turn the spark of innovation into sustained power for a greener future.
If you would like to learn more about the value of Asset Lifecycle Management for Energy and Utility Organizations, please visit our website on: https://www.ifs.com/assets/enterprise-asset-management/optimize-efficiency-with-asset-lifecycle-management
