Investigating the role of digital twin and 5G technology in enhancing smart energy management

Smart Energy Management (SEM) backed by IoT devices and AI/ML algorithms is crucial for achieving energy reduction goals and meeting global sustainability targets such as COP 26. A Digital Twin (DT) allows for rapid analysis and real-time decisions made through accurate analytics for SEM. Furthermore, for urban-scale DT; the next generation of network connectivity can support a high volume of data transfer in real-time. Therefore, this paper analyses trends; technological readiness; and challenges and proposes mitigation strategies for applying DT in the SEM domain. The research status quo is objectively portrayed using scientometric analysis (e.g., clusters using the VOSviewer tool); and the research trends and challenges were identified using a thematic review. The number of publications has grown exponentially in the past four years; with China followed by the UK producing the most publications. Three distinctive trends are observed that are "real-time data analysis"(26%); "optimisation"(34%) and "operation/maintenance"(14%). Furthermore, it highlights the role of the 5G network in transformation and pushing the DT adoption in SEM, which can aid in decision-making and strategic planning in the construction sector.