Conceptualizing A Digital Twin Model for Natural Gas Retailing in A Geographic Area in India

In the fourth Industrial Revolution context, various industries are embracing advanced technologies such asartificial intelligence, machine learning, big data analytics, and the Internet of Things to facilitate Net Zerotransition with digital transformation. A notable development in this field is the Digital Twin (DT), a virtualrepresentation of the physical system. Digital transformation enhances process management, elevates businessperformance, and facilitates the advancement of sustainable energy transition as a viable solution for thechallenges arising from climate change. India's strategic goal of achieving a gas-based economy by 2030, byproviding widespread access to a local distribution network for cleaner natural gas serving 98% of thepopulation has motivated the study of integrating advanced digital technology into gas retailing as a viablesolution for decarbonized economic growth. Accordingly, this exploratory study presents a novel conceptualmodel of a Digital Twin for natural gas retailing. The model aims for efficient real-time management of citygas operations in India to enhance natural gas retail consumption for accelerating a gas-based economytransition. This supports India’s commitment to providing affordable access to cleaner fuels under its SDG 7framework. The research has practical implications for society to manage local climate change issueseffectively.