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Robotics and Automation for Energy Efficiency and Sustainability in the Industry 4.0 Era: A Review

Author

Listed:
  • Zsolt Buri

    (Department of Engineering Management and Enterprise, Faculty of Engineering, University of Debrecen, H-4028 Debrecen, Hungary
    Doctoral School of Management and Business, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary)

  • Judit T. Kiss

    (Department of Engineering Management and Enterprise, Faculty of Engineering, University of Debrecen, H-4028 Debrecen, Hungary)

Abstract

Robotisation is playing an increasingly important role in economic and technological life today. Industrial robotisation has a significant impact on the efficiency and productivity of manufacturing companies, and service robots are becoming more and more common in everyday life. The main objective of our research is to examine the impact of robotisation on energy consumption and sustainability, as well as the technological and corporate challenges facing the integration of robots. The research is based on a literature review, which we supplemented with a bibliographic analysis. In terms of methods, we relied on the Global Citation Score, Co-Coupling Network Analysis, and Burst Analysis. Our results suggest that research on industrial robotisation can be divided into complementary dimensions, ranging from engineering-level trajectory optimization and subsystem design to system-level modeling, macroeconomic sustainability analysis, and data-driven optimization. The findings highlight that the positive impacts of robotisation on both energy efficiency and carbon reduction can be maximized when these approaches are integrated into a systemic framework that connects micro- and macro-level perspectives.

Suggested Citation

  • Zsolt Buri & Judit T. Kiss, 2025. "Robotics and Automation for Energy Efficiency and Sustainability in the Industry 4.0 Era: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-16, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:20:p:5399-:d:1770599
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    References listed on IDEAS

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