The digital transformation of the energy sector toward the Smart Grid paradigm, intelligent energy management, and distributed energy integration poses new requirements for computer science. Issues related to the automation of power grid management, multidimensional analysis of data generated in Smart Grids, and optimization of decision-making processes require urgent solutions. The article aims to analyze the use of selected artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to support the abovementioned issues. In particular, machine learning methods, metaheuristic algorithms, and intelligent fuzzy inference systems were analyzed. Examples of the analyzed algorithms were tested in crucial domains of the energy sector. The study analyzed cybersecurity, Smart Grid management, energy saving, power loss minimization, fault diagnosis, and renewable energy sources. For each domain of the energy sector, specific engineering problems were defined, for which the use of artificial intelligence algorithms was analyzed. Research results indicate that AI algorithms can improve the processes of energy generation, distribution, storage, consumption, and trading. Based on conducted analyses, we defined open research challenges for the practical application of AI algorithms in critical domains of the energy sector.

The main purpose of the article was to identify and present the current situation and changes in higher education in the field of electricity and energy studies in the European Union countries. The specific objectives include determining the degree of concentration of education in the fields of electricity and energy in the EU countries, showing the directions of their changes, types of dominant education in this field, establishing the correlation between education in the fields of electricity and energy and the parameters assessing the achievement of circular economy assumptions in the energy sector. All Member States of the European Union were deliberately selected for research. The research period covered the years 2013–2018. The source of the materials is a literature review on the subject and Eurostat data. For the analysis and presentation of materials, methods such as descriptive, tabular, graphical, dynamics indicators with a constant basis, Gini concentration coefficient, concentration analysis using the Lorenz curve, coefficient of variation, Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient were used. A high concentration of education in the fields of electricity and energy was found in several EU countries, the largest in countries with the highest energy consumption, i.e., in France and Poland. Changes in the level of concentration practically did not take place, only in the case of master’s studies, there was an increase in concentration. However, the EU countries did not differ significantly in terms of the structure of the number of students studying electricity and energy.

Cybersecurity is a key factor influencing the development of the smart grid paradigm. The integration of information and communication technologies into energy networks introduces new cybersecurity requirements, vulnerabilities, and threats. Typical countermeasures and security measures require optimization and customization for implementation in a distributed and heterogeneous smart grid environment. In this paper, we propose a holistic approach to smart grid cybersecurity by considering information security attributes at the level of requirements, threats, and countermeasures analysis. The results of the conducted review enabled us to develop a holistic cybersecurity framework for smart grids, while also analyzing the challenges and barriers related to security measures, as well as the possibilities for their mitigation.

The article examines modern approaches to energy management in the context of the development of Industry 5.0 with a particular focus on cybersecurity. Key tenets of Industry 5.0 are discussed, including the integration of advanced technologies with intelligent energy management systems (IEMSs) and the growing need to protect data in the face of increasing cyber threats. The challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) using solutions based on renewable energy sources, such as photovoltaic farms, are also analyzed. The article presents examples of IEMS applications and discusses methods for securing these systems, offering an overview of cyber threat protection tools in the context of modern energy management. The analysis carried out provided information that will help businesses make rational decisions and contribute to shaping the state’s macroeconomic policy on cybersecurity and energy savings. The results of this research can also help develop more effective strategies for managing technology and IT infrastructure, which is crucial in the digital age of Industry 5.0.