Despite some reservations and a gap in critical skillsets in the workforce, the use of digital twins technology seems to be speeding up.
A report from Capgemini Research has found that appetites for digital twins will likely be increasing over the next few years, 36% over the next five years. In a survey that gathered responses from over 1000 organizations from multiple sectors, companies are showing a high rate of interest.
Eighty percent of surveyed organizations noted that they already had some ongoing projects. The rest plan to start one soon. These organizations include industries such as utilities, consumer products, and life sciences, showcasing just how wide digital twins use cases are.
60% cited sustainability as the key driver for digital twins projects. This makes sense as pressure on cities to improve emissions and accomplish other critical environmental goals is only increasing. A growing number of companies are also tying corporate compensation to achieving ESG goals as well, so the foundation for digital twins launches are already there.
The Energy and Utility industries, as well as consumer products, are leading the way in sustainability by implementing the technology. Over half of respondents in both industries have begun using models for sustainability goals and have seen a 16% improvement in those metrics.
See also: In 2022 and Beyond, the World Will Embrace Digital Twins
Four areas slowing critical digital twins deployments
Although the survey notes the growing interest and implementation, it also highlighted areas that keep others from adopting this methodology:
- Lack of strong vision and goals
- Lack of management support
- A gap in critical skillsets in the workforce
- The need for a secure, end-to-end digital architecture that supports the models
- A lack of interoperable, cooperative platforms
Despite these reservations, the use of the technology seems to be speeding up. Companies that find ways around these initial obstacles to deploying critical models could see sustainability improvements, costs reduction, and overall flexibility in project deployment.
