Energy in the Era of Industry 5.0—Opportunities and Risks

Industry 5.0 requires the resettlement of man (the worker) at the center of industrial processes. The concept of Industry 5.0 requires the use of advanced technologies to support man in his actions, to help him to progress and to offer him the solutions for his needs and interests. Industry 5.0 embraces the idea of a sustainable industry and opens the way to a healthier future, the reference point being considered—and here comes the novelty in relation to Industry 4.0—“a totally sustainable society”. In this context we cannot—and must not—avoid discussing the sustainability of the industrial sector and its conditioning on the sustainability of the planet’s energy resources. The energy transition offers solutions to protect the environment, but it raises economic, social and technical issues that companies, public authorities, financial institutions and researchers need to address. The complexity of the energy transition phenomenon requires the involvement of companies, consumers, portfolio investors and the education system, which must encourage a change of mentality and improved behavior.