A city that produces its own energy needs more than solar panels and batteries. It also needs software capable of coordinating thousands of independent devices.
One building may be generating excess solar electricity while another is experiencing high demand. A public battery may have available capacity, while nearby electric vehicles are preparing to charge.
The system must continually decide where energy should go.
This creates an interesting software challenge. Local energy platforms need live data, reliable forecasts and clear priorities. Essential services may require protection, batteries must operate within safe limits and users need visibility into what is happening.
A simplified control loop might look like this:
Measure local production and demand.
Forecast the next period.
Store available surplus energy.
Distribute electricity where it is needed.
Request power from the wider grid when local resources are insufficient.
The physical equipment produces and stores the electricity. Software connects the pieces and helps them behave like one coordinated system.
In a self-powered city, energy infrastructure and digital infrastructure will be inseparable.
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