DIGITALIZATION AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY: LITHUANIA IN THE CONTEXT OF EU

To tackle climate change, the European Union has set objectives of low-carbon energy transition and carbon-neutral society creation by 2050. The EU Member States should implement GHG emissions reduction targets through improved energy efficiency and use of the renewables. Digital technologies can help to accelerate this. The digitalization of the energy system is a policy priority and is linked to the European Green Deal and the Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030. Lithuania supports EU ambition to achieve netzero GHG emissions and become climate-neutral by 2050. The aim of the article is to evaluate the relations between digitalization and energy efficiency and to identify the position of Lithuania in the context of EU. Scientific literature analysis and statistical data analysis methods were used for this purpose. The data of Digital Economy and Society Index were used for digitalization indicators and Eurostat data were collected for energy efficiency indicators. Significant correlations between digitalization and energy efficiency indicators of EU countries were calculated. The position of Lithuania among other EU countries was evaluated. Lithuania ranks above EU average in digital public services and integration of digital technologies; however, it performs poorly in environment related technologies and in terms of energy efficiency. The findings of this research can be relevant for both Lithuanian and EU authorities from the practical point of view in promoting cooperation between digital and energy stakeholders, shaping policy, steering digitalization in a way that maximizes the benefits for entire energy system.