Enabling Digital Twins with a Common Data Space for Ireland: A Vision for the Future
Last week, at the Environmental Ireland Conference, Venkatesh Kannan, Associate Director at ICHEC, presented a pivotal project that could shape the future of Ireland’s digital and environmental landscape: "Enabling Digital Twins with a Common Data Space for Ireland (IRL-DataSpace)." His presentation emphasised how cutting-edge digital technologies can be harnessed to address the country’s environmental and societal challenges.
Over the past decade, the rapid evolution of digital technologies such as Big Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), Earth Observation, and High-Performance Computing (HPC) has paved the way for a new generation of advanced computing platforms: Digital Twin Technology Platforms. These platforms are capable of creating real-time virtual replicas, or digital twins, of complex systems, from the environment to urban infrastructure. The integration of these technologies holds immense promise for enhancing public policy-making by providing accurate, data-driven models to simulate various scenarios.
A critical component of enabling these national-level digital twins in Ireland is the creation of a Common Data Spacethat can unify diverse data sources. This requires robust information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure and a commitment to adhering to the FAIR principles: making data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable.
ICHEC, in collaboration with HEAnet and key stakeholders from Ireland’s research and innovation (R&I) community, is spearheading efforts to create the IRL-DataSpace—a unified national data ecosystem. This platform will bring together data from various institutions, sectors, and jurisdictions to support advanced modelling and digital twin development across a range of disciplines.
Venkatesh highlighted the importance of establishing a national-level technical body, the Data Space Support Centre for Ireland (IRL-DSSC), to provide the necessary expertise and coordination. The IRL-DSSC will be instrumental in bridging the gap between four key stakeholder groups: data system operators, research and innovation activities, FAIR data frameworks, and government policy-makers. This collaborative framework will ensure Ireland’s data ecosystem can meet the demands of modern digital twins, benefiting public policy and national R&I efforts.
Together, IRL-DataSpace and IRL-DSSC will deliver significant research impact across disciplines, addressing grand societal and environmental challenges at both national and international levels. These initiatives are aligned with Ireland’s national strategies, such as the Programme for Government – Our Shared Future – and the Impact 2030 Strategy, as well as broader European goals.
