IBM (NYSE: IBM) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced the launch of new interactive energy models on UNDP’s GeoHub platform. The initiative is evidence of technology propelling change and hinting at potential advancements that will ensure a just energy transition is attained.
The new models are part of UNDP’s Data Futures Exchange (DFx), which serves as a centralized hub for geospatial data and services. GeoHub facilitates the upload, visualization, and analysis of datasets, allowing users to combine time-oriented information with satellite imagery.
Laurel Patterson, Head of the UNDP SDG Integration Team, Bureau for Policy and Programme Support pointed out that the UNDP and IBM collaboration is set to empower countries in utilizing development data and technological innovations to enhance lives and protect our planet.
The tools harness the power of IBM’s Watsonx AI and data platform, providing users—including policymakers, community leaders, and the general public—with advanced artificial intelligence capabilities to analyze complex energy challenges and facilitate informed decision-making for a just energy transition.
According to Justina Nixon-Saintil, IBM’s Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, the collaboration is crucial as it brings together UNDP’s extensive knowledge of sustainable development and IBM’s innovative AI technologies.
“We are proud to unveil solutions that utilize technology’s potential to create lasting, positive impacts on our environment and communities.” She added,
She further emphasized that making these innovative models freely accessible to the public, is an aim to empower leaders and organizations with the insights necessary to make impactful energy decisions worldwide.
The functionality supports localized, evidence-based approaches to development challenges—from identifying disparities in electricity access to assessing community vulnerabilities to climate change over time.
She noted that the co-created solutions provide a robust evidence base, enabling countries to make tangible progress toward achieving net-zero investments and people-centered development strategies critical to accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The partnership, spanned over two years, began through the IBM Sustainability Accelerator program and involved collaborative engagement in the IBM Garage. The initiative enhances UNDP’s GeoHub with two cutting-edge models: the Electricity Access Forecasting AI Model and the Clean Energy Equity Index.
The Electricity Access Forecasting AI Model leverages the IBM watsonx AI and data platform, IBM Cloud, and an open-source machine learning library to forecast electricity access through 2030.
Through analyzing various factors—including population, infrastructure, urbanization, elevation, and land use—this model offers future insights that surpass the limitations of current-day estimates. It will provide detailed electricity access data from 102 countries within the Global South, encompassing regions in Africa, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East.
Conversely, the Clean Energy Equity Index, developed in collaboration with Stony Brook University, represents a pioneering approach by combining geospatial analytics with environmental, economic, and social factors. The index assigns a Clean Energy Equity score ranging from 0 to 1, reflecting both the opportunities for clean energy development and the urgency for equitable access.
Users can delve into specific environmental, economic, and social factors, enabling them to identify which aspects have the greatest impact on equitable clean energy access, thus promoting informed decision-making.
Data from 53 African countries will be available through this model. Historically, advanced energy models of this nature have been restricted to select users.
