Digital twins are revolutionising industries by simulating assets, environments and products, allowing for transformative improvements in design, testing and sustainability.
From manufacturing to energy, digital twins offer crucial benefits in enhancing efficiency, reducing waste and cutting carbon emissions.
Here, we explore 10 of the most impactful uses of digital twins across various industries, with a focus on climate tech applications.
10. Cost estimation & budgeting
Company: TotalEnergies
2023 revenue: US$218.9bn
Number of employees: 102,579
CEO: Patrick Pouyanné
Founded: 1924
TotalEnergies has embraced digital twins to optimise cost efficiency in its gas and oil operations.
By using digital twins, companies can detect mechanical issues early, reducing repair costs and downtime.
Additionally, digital twins streamline product research and design, eliminating the need for expensive physical prototypes.
The technology also helps manufacturers test end-of-life processing options, further lowering costs.
For companies like TotalEnergies, digital twins enable the simulation and optimisation of drilling and production processes, reducing both operational expenses and environmental impact.
9. Safety compliance & risk management
Company: Toyota
2023 revenue: US$274bn
Number of employees: 375,235
CEO: Koji Sato
Founded: 1937
Toyota has implemented digital twins to improve safety and manage risks in its factories. Digital twins simulate various operational scenarios, allowing manufacturers to predict potential hazards and implement proactive safety measures.
This is especially useful in industries where safety is paramount, such as energy and aviation.
By simulating risks like natural disasters or large-scale accidents, manufacturers can design more effective contingency plans. Toyota uses digital twins to run "what-if" scenarios, helping engineers optimise processes while minimising risks and environmental costs.
8. Supply Chain Streamlining
Company: Mars
2023 revenue: US$45bn
Number of employees: Around 140,000
CEO: Poul Weihrauch
Founded: 1911
Mars uses digital twins to optimise its supply chain, integrating AI and cloud technology to monitor production.
Digital twins provide companies with an all-encompassing view of their logistics and operations, identifying bottlenecks and inefficiencies. As the global supply chain becomes increasingly complex, digital twins help businesses manage logistics with greater precision.
Mars utilises this technology to simulate supply chain operations and optimise sustainability across its global food and pet care manufacturing processes, leading to significant cost savings and reduced carbon footprints.
7. Enterprise digital transformation
Company: General Electric
2023 revenue: $67.9bn
Number of employees: 125,000
CEO: H. Lawrence "Larry" Culp Jr.
Founded: 1892 (split into three subsidiaries in 2024)
General Electric's spin-off successors — GE Aerospace, GE HealthCare and GE Vernova — are all known as leaders in using digital twins to enhance overall enterprise performance.
Digital twins help businesses monitor the success of various processes, providing real-time data that can identify inefficiencies. The Predix Operations Performance Management (OPM) solution complements its digital twin offerings by delivering insights into production performance and sustainability.
By simulating processes and assets, GE's companies help its clients improve operational efficiency while reducing energy consumption, contributing to climate-friendly enterprise transformations across sectors like aviation and energy.
6. Enhancing sustainability
Company: AWS (Amazon Web Services)
2023 revenue: US$90.8bn
Number of employees: Operates within Amazon, which employs more than 1.6million
CEO: Andy Jassy
Founded: Officially launched in 2006
AWS offers digital twin solutions that focus on enhancing sustainability.
AWS uses digital twins to help businesses monitor their carbon emissions and energy use, offering insights that improve sustainability strategies.
By simulating energy consumption and production processes, digital twins allow companies to optimise their operations and reduce their environmental impact.
AWS’ reference architecture showcases how digital twins can streamline energy use, cut emissions and improve waste management, driving progress towards sustainability goals across industries.
5. Predictive maintenance
Company: Chevron
2023 Company revenue: US$196.9bn
Number of employees: 45,600
CEO: Michael K. Wirth
Founded: 1879
Chevron relies on digital twins for predictive maintenance, helping the company prevent equipment failures and reduce downtime.
By using sensors to continuously monitor equipment, digital twins collect data that can predict when maintenance is needed. This approach reduces the risk of unexpected breakdowns, which can lead to costly environmental incidents, especially in the oil and gas industry.
Chevron’s use of digital twins in compressor monitoring helps optimise performance, ensuring equipment operates efficiently while minimising the environmental risks associated with maintenance delays.
4. Product design, prototyping and optimisation
Company: Rolls Royce
2023 Company revenue: US$20.9bn
Number ofemployees: 41,400
CEO: Tufan Erginbilgic
Founded: 1906
Rolls Royce has leveraged digital twins through its IntelligentEngine programme to revolutionise product design.
Digital twins enable manufacturers to test and refine product designs in a virtual environment, eliminating the need for physical prototypes. This process not only reduces material waste but also allows for the continuous improvement of products.
Rolls Royce uses digital twins to monitor engine performance and predict maintenance needs, ensuring its engines are as efficient and reliable as possible. The result is a more sustainable design process that reduces environmental impacts.
3. Testing products
Company: GlaxoSmithKline
2023 revenue: US$37.7bn
Number of employees: 70,212
CEO: Emma Walmsley
Founded: 1715
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) uses digital twins to streamline the testing of pharmaceutical products. Digital twins enable manufacturers to test products in a virtual setting, reducing the costs and risks associated with physical testing.
In the pharmaceutical industry, where faulty products can have severe consequences, digital twins provide a safe and efficient way to ensure quality.
GSK employs digital twins to model patient-disease systems and test treatments in a controlled environment, reducing the environmental footprint of the drug development process.
2. Training staff
Company: Siemens
2023 Company revenue: US$81.6bn
Number of employees: Around 290,000
CEO: Roland Busch
Founded: 1847
Siemens uses digital twins to train staff in a safer, more engaging way.
Digital twins simulate real-world manufacturing processes, allowing employees to learn and practice skills in a virtual environment before applying them in real life. This reduces the risk of errors and accidents during training, while also saving resources that would be used in physical training setups.
Siemens has implemented digital twins across its production lines, ensuring its workforce is equipped with the skills necessary to operate cutting-edge, eco-friendly technologies.
1. Improving customer experience
Company: Six Flags
2023 Company revenue: US$1.62bn
Number of employees: 40,000
CEO: Selim Bassoul
Founded: 1961
Six Flags has integrated digital twins to enhance customer experiences at its theme parks.
By collecting and analysing data on visitor preferences and park operations, digital twins allow Six Flags to continuously improve its attractions.
The company uses digital twins to optimise park layouts, ride operations and energy use, providing guests with a more enjoyable and efficient experience.
By reducing energy consumption and improving operational efficiency, Six Flags demonstrates how digital twins can contribute to both customer satisfaction and environmental sustainability.
The next step up from digital twins are virtual twins, which also have the power to dramatically elevate customer experiences.
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