As global energy use and greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase, industrial sectors, together with transport and the built environment, stand at the forefront of these challenges. Pursuing a sustainable future requires a concerted effort to enhance energy management practices and establish effective energy efficiency policies. Improved energy efficiency not only enhances productivity and competitiveness but also reduces energy costs and aligns with the Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to energy use and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Despite the acknowledged importance of energy management and energy efficiency measures, their uptake remains limited due to various barriers, extensively discussed in research alongside their driving forces.

Recently, attention has been paid towards examining the impacts of energy efficiency measures on production resources and operational performance. Furthermore, energy systems are becoming increasingly complex with the advent of Industry 4.0 technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, and digital twins. Industry 4.0 presents unprecedented opportunities for enhancing energy management and efficiency through real-time data analytics, predictive maintenance, and optimization algorithms. However, a comprehensive understanding of the intricate relationships between energy resources and other industrial resources, along with the critical factors influencing the adoption of such measures and their implications on industrial operations, is still lacking. A deeper interdisciplinary comprehension of these relationships holds the potential to stimulate the adoption of solutions for enhanced energy efficiency and sustainability. Moreover, the discourse surrounding the array of services that can be provided to industrial end-users to optimize energy resource utilization, in conjunction with other resources, remains underdeveloped. This underscores the urgent need for advanced scientific and multidisciplinary knowledge in the field of energy systems.

In response to these pressing challenges, Frontiers in Energy Research is delighted to announce a Research Topic dedicated to advancing research in Industrial Energy Management, Efficiency Policies, and Energy System Studies. We invite contributions from researchers, scholars, practitioners, and policymakers, encompassing original research articles, reviews, and case studies. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Industrial energy management
• Industry 4.0 technologies for energy management
• Energy auditing and optimization
• Renewable energy sources in industrial processes
• Energy-efficient technologies and best practices in industrial settings
• Policy frameworks and regulatory mechanisms for promoting industrial energy efficiency.
• Economic and environmental impacts of industrial energy management initiatives
• Techno-economic analysis of energy-saving measures in industrial sectors
• Modelling and analyzing energy systems
• Investigations of barriers to, and drivers for, energy efficiency and what drives investment
• Energy transitions and pathways towards sustainable regional, national and international industrial development
• Case studies and practical applications of industrial energy management strategies

Contributions utilizing advanced methodologies, innovative technologies, and interdisciplinary perspectives are highly encouraged. Submissions should adhere to the journal's guidelines and undergo rigorous peer review.

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Frontiers in Energy Research

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