Recorded in the context of Enlit Europe 2025 in Bilbao, this episode follows the session “Flexible Solutions Empowering Citizens” and explores how thermal energy storage and digital integration can unlock flexibility at the local level. Joining the discussion are Emilia Pisani and Guillermo Andrés Nieto, representing the Thermal Energy Storage Cluster (TES Cluster), a collaboration of four Horizon Europe projects: THUMBS UP, ECHO, BEST Storage and Hi-Store.

Five diverse projects – of which four are active and one completed – comprise the Steinbeis energy cluster, with the common goal of decarbonising and advancing the energy transition of energy intensive processes in various industries.

These are H2GLASS and MOST-H2 focussed on how hydrogen can be used in industrial processes in the glass and transport sectors and COREu and CAPTUS focussed on carbon capture, use and storage in sectors such as steel, cement and chemicals. The completed project is FLEX4FACT, which focussed on the use of flexibility in industry through enabling production processes to adapt dynamically to renewable energy availability.

At its core, the project explores how energy storage can be seamlessly embedded into industrial processes, alongside local renewable generation such as solar PV. The aim is not only to store energy, but to optimise how it is produced, managed and consumed on-site, whether for green hydrogen production, electric vehicle charging, or even irrigation systems.

What makes this approach particularly relevant today is the shift towards hybrid industrial energy systems. These environments bring together multiple assets - generation, storage and complex industrial loads - which must operate in coordination. AGISTIN addresses this through advanced grid interfaces and DC coupling, enabling these different components to interact more efficiently and with fewer energy losses.

Underlying this decarbonisation is the need for digital transformation with solutions and services for its delivery. And this is where TRINEFLEX comes in – a Horizon Europe supported project, which was launched in September 2022 to develop a toolkit for managing this transformation and facilitating the transition towards more flexible and sustainable industrial processes.

Looking back at the project, which is due to wrap up in August 2026, Mohammed says it has evolved in three main phases – project design, development and integration and the current, and arguably the most important, validation and demonstration.

The smart networks for energy transition (SNET) platform is one of a number of platforms set up by the European Commission to guide research, development and innovation in specified areas, in this case to support the energy transition.

In the 10 years since its establishment the platform has played an important role – and increasingly is being sought upon by the Commission – for advice in advance of the development of a new policy or guideline.

The drive to phase out SF6 as a high global warming potential gas from electricity switchgear has been gathering momentum. Already its ban has been in place in Europe for new MV switchgear starting 1 January, and with new HV switchgear up to 145kV set to follow from 1 January 2028.

This has resulted in the development of alternatives by vendors, as part of which Siemens Energy is leading the LIFE Blue 420kV GIS project, pioneering the use of a natural origin mixture of nitrogen and oxygen, or ‘clean air’ as the company calls it, for use in 420kV switchgear.

Unlike conventional research initiatives, BEGONIA was designed as a Coordination and Support Action, focused on preparing the ground for large-scale digital cooperation. As Niccolò Fattirolli, COO of Olivo Energy and lead for stakeholder engagement, explains, the project’s mission has been to identify best practices across Europe, develop promising use cases, and bring them close to real-world implementation.

The conversation explored how policy, technology, and collaboration intersect to shape a more sustainable, flexible, and resilient energy system.

Based in Zaragoza, CIRCE plays a crucial role in translating research into real-world solutions. As Nielsen explained, their work spans electricity production and storage, industrial decarbonisation, transport, digitalisation, and energy efficiency.

They discussed three flagship initiatives that illustrate this approach. Project Chronicle, Reflex and EFORT.

Catch up on the latest episodes: https://www.enlit.world/about-us/eu-energy-projects-podcast

At the heart of the project is an ambitious integration of structural health monitoring, physical models, and AI-driven tools. WILLOW combines SCADA data, accelerometer readings, corrosion and coating sensors, and machine-learning models to produce far more accurate lifetime predictions. This makes it possible not only to detect damage earlier, but also to make smarter operational decisions. For example, curtailing a turbine already showing signs of degradation rather than one in good condition.

Recorded during Enlit Europe 2025, this wide-ranging conversation offers rare insight into how policymakers are balancing innovation, regulation, and system security in Europe’s energy transition.

Subscribe to the EU Energy Projects Podcast for more expert insights from policymakers, innovators, and industry leaders shaping Europe’s digital energy future.

Over the course of less than a lifetime, space exploration has evolved from the launch of the first satellite to a multi-billion dollar/euro industry with ever increasing numbers of satellites providing round-the-clock services and scientific and other data on our Earth system.

As the data has become more sophisticated and diverse, it has attracted interest from multiple sectors for monitoring and management – not least in the energy sector with the increasing demands and complexity of the energy transition.

As the agency for the EU’s space programme, EUSPA provides a range of space-based services for public and private users, in particular based on the Copernicus Earth observation and Galileo global navigation programmes.

In this episode, Areti Ntaradimou speaks with Ivan Jimenez, President of the Port Authority of Bilbao about the BilbOPS project — a €115 million EU-backed initiative aiming to fully electrify the port by 2027, well ahead of regulatory deadlines, through a collaborative clean energy-sharing model.

In this episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, Areti Ntaradimou had the pleasure of welcoming Mohaddeseh Maktabifard and José Luis Corrales Ciganda, both representing the inspiring 2Cool2Waste cluster; an initiative uniting EU-funded projects that transform waste heat from an overlooked by-product into a practical, clean-energy resource.

The discussion opened with Maktabifard briefly explaining what SEEDS, the project she coordinates, is about. Her description was a reminder of how much innovation is happening behind the scenes in our buildings. SEEDS pilots smart, cost-effective electrification solutions - hybrid heat pumps, building-integrated PV, advanced thermal and battery storage - across six European sites.

José Luis then introduced the two projects he represents: SynergyNet, which develops tools to optimise multi-energy systems, and Rewire, which focuses on thermally driven cooling technologies using waste or renewable heat. Hearing him describe the project’s progress, from preliminary sector analysis to detailed engineering at four demo sites, made the scale and complexity of these solutions feel very real.

With deep expertise in brand positioning and stakeholder engagement, Fridrik has spent years helping organizations bridge the gap between innovation and public perception. His insights offer a valuable perspective on an often-overlooked element of EU-funded research and innovation projects: branding.

As Fridrik explains, while the principles of branding remain the same across sectors, energy presents unique challenges. “Branding is just branding,” he notes. “But energy is tied to politics, human rights and daily life in a way that few other products are.” This heightened sensitivity requires energy innovators to be especially mindful of how they communicate the origins, impact, and benefits of their work. Even so, the fundamentals, i.e. understanding your target audience, articulating a clear value proposition and maintaining a meaningful dialogue, remain essential.

At its core, INSIEME brings together an impressive alliance; 54 key European partners including TSOs, DSOs, solution providers, flexibility service providers, market platforms, and leading digital innovators from across the continent. The project runs from April 2025 until 2028, addressing one of the biggest challenges facing the energy sector today: data fragmentation.

At its core, IS2H4C aims to make the circular economy a practical reality. The project integrates advanced technologies such as carbon capture, electrolysis and digital tools, but it also recognises that true circularity depends on people, partnerships and policies. Aligned with the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan, IS2H4C embodies Europe’s commitment to achieving long-term climate neutrality.

Dr Yazan highlights a growing momentum across Europe toward “systemic circularity”, where industrial, urban and rural systems are connected through collaborative hubs. Supported by the European Commission, IS2H4C is one of four large-scale projects designed to establish these Hubs for Circularity, turning policy ambitions into operational models for sustainable growth.

For Manuel, who is Senior European Affairs Advisor at Elia Group and Vice Convener for Policy within ENTSO-E’s Policy and Communications Group, the European energy conversation has clearly evolved. “A few years ago, the focus was on decarbonisation above all,” he says. “Today, competitiveness and security are equally pressing.” Recent geopolitical shocks have reshaped priorities, making energy affordability, security of supply and resilience central to Europe’s long-term strategy. But this, he emphasises, doesn’t mean Europe should lose sight of its green ambitions, rather, decarbonisation remains the foundation for competitiveness and stability.

As Europe moves toward a fully integrated and decarbonised energy system, HVDC infrastructure is no longer a distant vision, it is a necessity. The European Commission has set clear priorities on strengthening cross-border interconnections and offshore energy hubs, and projects like EasyDC-FOS are key to turning those goals into reality.

You will have the opportunity to talk to the EasyDC-FOS representatives and learn more about the project at the EU Projects Zone during ENLIT Europe 2025 in Bilbao.

Marina explained how the THUNDER consortium, supported by EU funding, unites partners along the entire value chain. From academic institutions providing foundational research, to industries ensuring real-world application and end-users validating performance. She described how this mix “reduces time to market and facilitates knowledge transfer”, aligning closely with the Commission’s broader innovation agenda.

Silvia, speaking about the SUSHEAT project, added that cooperation across sectors and borders helps tailor technologies to diverse European conditions, whether for industrial electrification or district heating systems. Her example of hybrid systems capable of adapting to local needs captured the essence of the EU’s ambition: flexibility through collaboration.

The Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform (SNETP) was established in September 2007 as a R&D&I platform to support and promote the safe, reliable and efficient operation of Generation II, III and IV civil nuclear systems. You can come see the project at the Project Zone at Enlit Europe in Bilbao, 18-20 November in Bilbao, Spain.

In this episode we put our focus on cities. The engines of growth, but also some of the biggest contributors to climate change.

With 70% of global energy-related emissions linked to urban areas, it’s impossible to imagine a low carbon future without cities leading the way.

To explore how this transformation is unfolding, Areti Ntaradimou spoke with Frans Verspeek, project advisor for the EU-funded ATELIER project.

ATELIER is pioneering the concept of 'positive energy districts'. That is areas where groups of buildings generate more energy than they consume, sharing the surplus with their neighbours.

In the latest episode of the EU Energy Projects podcast, Areti Ntaradimou had the opportunity to learn more about the E-Nergy cluster from guests Stratis Kanarachos and Kostas Arvanitis.

Energy clusters, promoted by the European Commission, are designed to create networks of cooperation that go beyond individual project boundaries. Instead of working in isolation, projects are joining forces to tackle shared challenges, amplify their voice, and reach citizens more effectively.

Enjoy the episode!

The real value lies in deciding what data to collect and how to use it. Humans can process only a handful of information sources at once, but digital systems can handle hundreds. Done well, this means faster processes, lower costs, and decisions based on solid, real-time insights rather than guesswork.

This is where digital twins come in. Unlike traditional simulation models, which rely on assumptions, digital twins use live measurements.

In this episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, host Areti Ntaradimou had the pleasure of speaking with Dr Susanne Nies, Project Lead at Helmholtz Centre and one of the most insightful voices in European energy policy.

The conversation centred on a question Ntaradimou often returns to: how exactly is the European Commission shaping the path toward climate neutrality, and what challenges and opportunities lie ahead?

Susanne took us on a journey through the evolution of EU energy policy, reminding us that it started with market liberalisation and environmental concerns, but has grown into something much bigger. The European Green Deal, she explained, is truly a turning point.

Flexibility has been making headlines across Europe lately, and for good reason. As the continent races to integrate more renewables, adapt to volatile energy markets, and strengthen its grid resilience, flexibility has emerged as a central theme in both policy debates and innovation projects.

But beyond the buzzwords, what does it actually mean in practice? And how are European actors turning it from an abstract goal into a working reality?

Those were the questions at the heart of our host, Areti Ntaradimou's recent conversation with Charles Esser, Secretary General of E.DSO, and Anastasia Skapoula, Lead of the Dissemination Task for the BeFlexible project and Junior Projects Officer at E.DSO.

In this episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, we explore with Martina Galluccio, Data Cellar's project lead, how there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to data.

A participatory design approach has been crucial for the success of the Data Cellar project. From the beginning, the team prioritised user-friendly tools, knowing that not every stakeholder is a tech expert.

Simplifying onboarding, creating intuitive services, and providing targeted training - from high-level explanations of what a data space even is, to detailed guidance on preparing datasets - has helped bring people into the fold.

Chris opens our conversation with a simple truth that feels more urgent every year: the energy transition is already happening, and it needs to accelerate fast. The market is moving quickly; prices for renewables and storage continue to fall, making it economically viable to move away from fossil fuels. But while technology is racing ahead, social and political dynamics are struggling to keep pace.

The climate crisis is no longer just a topic of scientific conferences or policy debates, it’s right outside our doors. For Chris and many others living in southern Europe, the brutal summers are a reminder that we are running out of time. Therefore, the question becomes not if we transition, but how.

During the last edition of EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) Maria Laura Trifiletti and Edoardo Genova, both from Zabala, organised a very interesting session on electrifying the industry.

After listening to their interesting panel discussion during the event, our host Areti Ntaradimou felt compelled to ask them a few questions on the subject. Hence this podcast episode.

Their message is unmistakable: if Europe is serious about reaching climate neutrality, electrifying the industrial sector isn't just one strategy, it’s the cornerstone.

As Europe accelerates its energy transition, the concept of security of supply has taken on new urgency. With rising geopolitical tensions, cyber threats and the physical impacts of climate change, energy resilience is no longer just a technical issue; it’s a strategic imperative.

Our host, Areti Ntaradimou had the privilege of exploring this critical topic with Elena Giannakopoulou, Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer at PPC, and Cillian O'Donoghue, Policy Director at Eurelectric, in a candid discussion that shed light on the profound challenges and real solutions facing Europe's energy sector.

While both guests agree on its growing importance, especially considering increasing renewable integration, they approach the topic from different professional perspectives. Michael emphasizes the urgent need to activate demand-side flexibility through market-based mechanisms, whereas Joachim focuses on the physical and economic realities of grid infrastructure and the potential limitations of over-reliance on market solutions.

Our host, Areti Ntaradimou recently had the pleasure of speaking with Niccolò Fattirolli, COO of Olivo Energy and a key figure in the EU-funded Begonia project, which aims to prepare the ground for digital transformation across Europe's energy and transport sectors.

What makes the project so intriguing is its role as a preparatory action. Unlike many traditional EU-funded initiatives that focus on implementation, BEGONIA is about coordination, support and groundwork. It's not building entirely new technologies from scratch. Instead, it’s scanning existing ideas, selecting the most promising ones, and preparing them to be scaled across Europe through operational digital platforms (ODPs).

The ETIP SNET AI white paper explores the transformative potential of AI and generative AI in Europe's smart grids, incorporating industry insights to identify key uncertainties, challenges and opportunities.

Designed as a roadmap for stakeholders, the paper aims to unlock AI and GenAI’s potential in Europe’s energy transition. It is being developed with extensive stakeholder input to present a unified perspective on these evolving technologies.

To dive into this complex issue, Areti Ntaradimou sat down with Luis Cunha, chairman of ETIP SNET, during the Enlit Impact Circle in Bilbao.

In this episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, project coordinator Alejandra del Valle spoke with guest host Ross Hastie about EBENTO’s mission and its potential to revolutionise building renovations across Europe.

A major shift in policy, a renewed commitment to research and innovation (R&I), and a move toward energy independence. What’s not to like?

But here’s the catch: Is it enough? Can Europe’s industries truly benefit from this deal, or will bureaucracy and slow implementation stifle its potential before it even gets off the ground?

To dive into this complex issue, our host, Areti Ntaradimou sat down with Ivan Matejak, Director for the SET PLAN and Strategic programming at the European Energy Research Alliance (EERA).

Aggeliki Aggeli, Researcher at BUILD, Aalborg University, and member of the DECODIT project’s consortium, is an expert in participatory methodologies. As such, she provided valuable insights into the importance of co-creation, its challenges and the role of diversity in innovation.

This episode covers:

• Europe's strengths and challenges
• Competitiveness as a driver of growth
• Sustainability over endless growth
• Innovation as Europe's strength
• Unity and the role of young professionals
• Defining Europe's future

Recorded at Enlit Europe with guest host Ross Hastie, the conversation covers the need for interoperable systems, the role of AI in prosumer empowerment, the importance of data privacy, and the potential economic benefits of data sharing for both individuals and various stakeholders.

Tasos also highlights the project's approach to scaling and replicating the data space across different regions while adhering to regulatory compliances like GDPR.

The project seeks to hybridize and monetize storage flexibility using technology-agnostic middleware to simplify energy storage integration.

Key points include addressing vendor lock-in, promoting investment, and leveraging IEEE 2030.5 standards to enhance interoperability.

Additionally, data space technology plays a crucial role in monetizing storage and data sharing. The conversation also covers the significance of open-source tools and preemptive maintenance in ensuring the success and safety of these integrations.

Project Manager Tomasz Korniluk discusses the project's goals, which include introducing a function-as-a-service paradigm for edge applications, creating a framework for managing distributed resources, and optimizing data processing with AI.

The conversation covers the major challenges such as performance, security, and data sovereignty, and highlights how AI and automation can solve these issues.

The episode also delves into the impact of the SovereignEdge.eu initiative and the benefits of using open-source technologies to enhance data sovereignty in Europe.

Recorded live at Enlit Europe in Milan, the European Commission's Max Lemke - Head of Unit Internet of Things, responsible for the digitalisation of Energy, Mobility, and Agriculture, at Directorate General CONNECT - discusses with Enlit's Brussels Editor Areti Ntaradimou the progress and future trajectory of digitalisation across industries.

They delve into the integration of AI, IoT, and digital twins in transforming energy systems and fostering synergies between renewable energy, e-mobility, and smart buildings.

The conversation also touches on the collaboration between digitalization and the European Green Deal, emphasising the role of data, cybersecurity, and the potential impact on Europe's energy infrastructure. Find more episodes of the EU Energy Projects Podcast here: https://www.enlit.world/podcasts/the-eu-energy-projects-podcast/

This special episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast features a conversation between three EU-funded projects grappling with the complexities of data exchange in fragmented, isolated ecosystems.

While coming from different domains, they face similar barriers as they aim help end-user citizens to trust, and share data, as they participate in the energy transition.

This episode was recorded in the media studio at Enlit Europe in Milan, where energy projects where at the heart of the event.

Alongside promoting trust among end-users, other key topics include scalability of solutions, interoperability, and the role of digital twins in enhancing the European electricity grid. Emphasis is placed on collaboration, leveraging open-source tools, and aligning efforts with EU regulations.

The discussion features:
Laurent Schmitt - Use Case Coordinator: Project EDDIE
Stratis Kanarachos - Project cordinator: DECODIT Project
Ilias Zafeiropoulos - Technical coordinator: TwinEU Project

Recorded live at Enlit Europe in Milan, Van Stiphout, the Deputy Head of Unit - Research, Innovation, Digitalisation, Competitiveness at DG Energy, at the European Commission, delves into the importance of coordinated infrastructure planning for meeting the EU's 2030 and 2050 climate goals.

Topics include electrification, the role of hydrogen, capturing CO2, and the emphasis on digitalization and AI in enhancing grid observability and efficiency.

They also discuss how Horizon Europe and other funding programs support system innovation and data accessibility for the energy transition.

The discussion covers the EU-funded project's mission to help European homeowners navigate the complexities of energy renovations with personalised digital tools.

Key topics include the gathering and use of data for personalised energy solutions, innovative loan underwriting to assist with home upgrades, and the pilot projects in diverse European countries.

The episode also explores how Decodit plans to influence market structures and regulatory conditions and emphasizes the importance of natural language interfaces to enhance user experience. The conversation also features insights on how policy makers and stakeholders can support such innovative energy efficiency projects.

The podcast highlights the TAKE-OFF project, funded by the EU's Horizon 2020 program, which focuses on converting CO2 and renewable hydrogen into SAF at lower costs and higher efficiency.

Guest host Ross Hastie is joined by project manager Georgiana Stan as they delve into the differences between aviation biofuels and power-to-liquid fuels, discussing their sources, production processes, and emission efficiencies.

The episode also addresses challenges in scaling SAF production, such as feedstock limitations and high costs compared to conventional jet fuels, emphasizing the role of government policies and international regulations in facilitating the transition.

The conversation explores the economic implications for airlines and consumers, stressing that achieving cost competitiveness requires investment and alignment in the industry.

Listen to the full episode to get insights into need for technological advancements and policy support to reach net-zero aviation by 2050.

They address interoperability challenges, machine learning integration, and the need for regulatory standardisation to ease project execution.

The EU-funded project emphasises collaboration with other projects over competition and seeks alignment in regulations across EU member states.

In this episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, host Areti Ntaradimou discusses Mario Draghi's report on European competitiveness and its implications for the energy sector with Kristian Ruby, Secretary General of Eurelectric, and Patrick Clerens, Secretary General of The European Association for Storage of Energy (EASE).

The discussion covers key recommendations from the Draghi report, the impact on infrastructure and investment, the role of the new EU Commissioner of Energy, and the challenges of integrating renewable energy into the grid.

The episode also delves into strategies for enhancing the EU’s clean energy projects and the potential for greater private sector involvement.

In this episode, our host,  Areti Ntaradimou, is joined by Professor Birgitte Bak-Jensen, the coordinator of the EU-funded project.

Birgitte explains how Project Sustenance introduces renewable energy to small villages or neighborhoods and involves local communities in the development process.

The project focuses on flexibility for energy grids and helps both energy communities and distribution system operators (DSOs). The consortium includes research institutions, local utilities, municipalities, and private companies, and it conducts demonstrations in the Netherlands, Poland, Denmark, and India.

Energiesamen is a Dutch federation representing around 700 energy cooperatives. Its primary functions are lobbying on a national level, providing financial access, and delivering IT and educational services to its members. They emphasise the importance of democratic governance within energy communities to prevent corporate capture—where private entities might exploit community resources.

One of the lobbying efforts by Energiesamen focuses on embedding the concept of democracy within the legal definition of energy communities.

This policy framework has led to extraordinary growth in energy communities across EU member states.

These communities are designed to be democratic, multi-stakeholder initiatives that involve citizens, municipalities, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The core principle is that effective control and autonomy must remain with the citizens, ensuring they have a decisive voice in how these initiatives are governed.

However, as energy communities gain momentum, there has been a worrying trend of corporate capture. Corporate capture occurs when large companies, often with significant political influence, take control of decision-making processes within energy communities. This can lead to the displacement of the original members and prosumers—the very people who these communities were intended to benefit.

During Enlit Europe 2023, EU Energy Projects Podcast host Areti Ntaradimou spoke to Chris Vrettos from REScoop to find out more about the phenomenon.

outPHit is an EU-funded project that is driving future-proof energy renovations across Europe.

Currently, 75% of European buildings are inefficient, contributing to 40% of EU energy use and 36% of CO2 emissions.

The outPHit project is making deep retrofits faster, cheaper and more reliable by pairing streamlined renovation approaches like Energiesprong with Passive House principles for ambitious energy performance on the basis of the EnerPHit standard. The ultimate goal of the project is to make buildings climate proof.

The project is renovating buildings through 25 case studies to show real results and provide energy efficient solutions, while facilitating the development of high performance renovation systems, tools for decision making and quality assurance safeguards.

The project was shortlisted for the Innovation Award at the EU Sustainable Energy Week this year.

During the event, EU Energy Projects Podcast host Areti Ntaradimou spoke to Sarah Meghan, from project partner Climate Alliance, to find out more.

The growth of solar energy generation is an integral part of the energy transition, but finding sustainable solutions for photovoltaic panels that reach the end of their lifecycle is also a growing challenge.

The work of this Horizon 2020 project was recently recognised at the EU Sustainable energy Week Innovation awards.

Areti was at the event in Brussel where she spoke to Claire Agraffeil, the EU project coordinator from the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA).

THE CEA plays a key role in the PHOTORAMA project, including Coordination and technological development for pre-industrial integration.
Lets find out more…

The RENergetic project was conceived to demonstrate the viability of so-called urban energy islands and aims to empower renewable energy communities to inhabit these energy islands.

Energy communities are playing a growing role in Europe's energy transition and in this episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast we explore how the RENergetic project aims to fuel the involvement of local communities in processes traditionally hidden from them, such as heat supply.

The goal of the project is to demonstrate the improvement of efficiency and energy autarky. It also focuses community involvement, and the socio-economic viability of three very different urban energy islands in Belgium, Poland and Italy.

Co-host Ross Hastie was part of the Enlit on the Road team that travelled to Milan to speak with Roberto de Lotto, who is a Professor of Urban Planning at the University of Pavia and leads one of the RENergetic project work packages in Segrate, a Municipality in Milan.

We explore the project’s transdisciplinary approach to achieve their goals and how their learnings can be exported.

This episode delves into how the TALOS Project is developing cutting-edge robotics and artificial intelligence to automate operations and maintenance tasks in photovoltaic plants.

The crucial role of solar power in the energy transition requires no introduction, but the ever-increasing scale of solar PV operations has thrown up a range of challenges.

These large-scale solar energy installations, often located in remote areas, face challenges like finding skilled labor and ensuring worker safety.

In this episode we explore sustainability and ethics in energy with Marine Cornelis. 

This conversation is part of a special double episode, the first discussion of which will be published on the EU Energy Projects podcast, and the second on Energ’ethic, Marine’s own podcast that has been running for over three years.

We also delve into the opportunities for meaningful change that European Sustainable Energy Week 2024 - where Marine is a panel moderator - brings to the European Energy Sector.

Marine has a profound belief in making the energy and climate transition relatable to people. “If we only stay at the technical or business level, we’ll never reach people’s hearts,” she said. Her podcast focuses on giving a human face to the energy and climate transition, emphasising personal stories to engage people and demonstrate that they can make a difference.

The European transportation sector is facing a massive transformation, and electric vehicles are set to play a crucial role Europe’s race to meet emissions targets.

We'll hear about the project's findings on consumer behaviour, infrastructure needs, technology, data sharing and an EU policy and regulatory landscape in desperate need of attention.

This episode also features a new host, Ross Hastie, who spoke to some of the leading minds in the project, in Lisbon.

He is joined in conversation by Rui Martins, the Head of R&D Structural Funds at Smart Energy LAB, one of the Project’s 16 consortium members.

We also hear from Sónia Sampaio, Smart Energy LAB’s Head Of Experience Design and Diogo Briuto, who lead’s their Engineering department

Smart Energy LAB is leading a crucial work package focused on understanding the key factors influencing V2X integration in smart cities and societal adoption across Europe

The project’s participants are based in Denmark, Greece, Portugal and Slovenia, thus covering a broad range spectrum of the European environment, at very different levels of electric mobility maturity.

So, buckle up, as we explore the challenges and opportunities for making electric vehicles a mainstream reality across the continent.

In this episode, we delve into the intricate dance of progress and safety, exploring cutting-edge advancements and the contrasting views on nuclear energy's role in the EU's energy transition. 

In a world where the consequences of climate change are becoming increasingly evident, the debate surrounding the future of energy production has never been more critical. 

The European Union's ambitious clean energy transition hinges not just on technological innovation but also on robust data management frameworks. As the EU leans into a future powered by renewable sources, the security and privacy of the data that orchestrates this monumental shift have taken the center stage.

Project EDDIE is the first data space to bring real-time consumer data into European energy markets.

In this episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, Areti is joined by Laurent Schmitt, who represents Project EDDIE, to discuss the importance of robust EU regulations in data protection, cybersecurity, cost efficiency, as well as Europe’s competitiveness in cloud and data spaces compared to China and the US.

Project EDDIE focuses on reducing cost of data sharing, making data interoperable and managing consumer consent. The whole endeavour isn’t without challenges, though. For example, flexibility management, as well as concerns regarding data access and security.

Laurent talks us through the intricacies of data spaces, a phenomenon shaping how we share and govern data across a federation of clouds with an emphasis on sovereignty, cybersecurity, and the geographic nature of data.

Laurent also addresses the nuances between freely available data and models that necessitate payment, and the role of open-source technology in this ecosystem.

Amidst the discussion, GDPR and the imperative of maintaining data anonymity resonate as foundational aspects of this transformation.  

The Podcast explores the emergent role of specialised companies like Decibel in the energy transition, Europe's standing in the global data sharing echelons, and the need for stringent technological safeguards against external cyber threats.

The conversation will also charge into the realm of electric vehicles, touching on the projected surge in both EVs and homes equipped with PVs by 2035, laying down the tracks for a future powered by renewables.             

Project EDDIE demonstrates how the need for robust regulations aligns with the ambition of making Europe a powerhouse of smart industry.

Stay tuned for a visionary episode full of insights and optimism for a greener, smarter world.

*Laurent Schmitt is the Head of Utilities & European Developments at dcbel & President at Digital4Grids

Key points:

• The EU is taking steps to promote green buildings, including mandating all new buildings to be zero-emission by 2030.
• Green buildings and neighborhoods offer numerous benefits, including reduced energy use, improved air quality, and enhanced community well-being.
• Challenges include affordability, social acceptance, and integrating new technologies with existing infrastructure.
• Project PROBONO highlights the potential of digital twins for planning and managing green communities.
• Collaboration, shared knowledge, and public support are crucial for widespread adoption of green building practices.

They discuss the challenges and successes of the project, including the differences between islands in the north and south, the importance of capacity building and knowledge exchange, the role of energy communities, and the need for collaboration and funding. Join us as we explore the complexities of transitioning from fossil fuels to renewables on EU islands and the valuable support provided by projects like NESOI.

In this episode of the EU Projects Zone Podcast, Areti Ntaradimou is joined by Markus Taumberger to talk about iFLEX, an EU funded project that aims at empowering energy consumers.

To achieve that, the project tries to make it as easy as possible for energy consumers to participate in the demand response process.

"The iFLEX project is directly addressing the EU policies, namely the 2020-2030 climate and energy framework and the Energy Union" says Markus.

Adding, "There's a strong focus on renewables, self consumption, energy market overhaul and consumer empowerment".

The project’s ambition is, among other things, to create an intelligent personal assistant for the energy consumer, called the iFLEX Assistant.

And while the consumer will still have full control of the flexibility, the operation can be fully automated so that the consumer does not have to do anything on a daily basis.

Listen to this episode of the EU Projects Zone Podcast and hear from Markus Taumberger about the concept and objectives of the iFLEX project.

In this episode of the EU Projects Zone Podcast, Areti Ntaradimou is joined by Mònica Aragüés Peñalba to talk about BD4OPEM, a Horizon 2020-funded project that creates an open energy marketplace, offering innovative AI-based services.

The goal of the project is to enable the efficient management of energy distribution grids and associated assets.

According to Mònica, the ambitious goals of EU Commission's Green Deal exist within the realm of possibility and BD4OPEM can help "by applying artificial intelligence techniques and in particular machine learning".

Because - among other things - both AI and Machine Learning when applied "enable services that improve the management of electrical grids with high penetration of renewables".

Listen to this episode of the EU Projects Zone Podcast and hear from Mònica Aragüés Peñalba the open marketplace that BD4OPEM focuses on is going to work and how it will ensure secure data flows.

To achieve that, the project has developed hardware solutions and can demonstrate eight different use cases to address the most common EU distribution grid problems.

"FLEXIGRID is closely involved with the distribution grid and the development of technology solutions linked with advanced monitoring, control and automation of the network" says Samuel.

He adds, "the project is is quite focused on addressing some of the main challenges related to the energy sustainability and Europe's objectives, in terms of energy".

In addition "it presents an ambitious scenario for the coming years, which involves [a focus in] reduction of emissions, electrification, stainability and energy efficiency".

Listen to this episode of the EU Projects Zone Podcast and hear from Samuel Borroy Vincente about the context as well as the solutions that FLEXIGRID proposes.

In this episode of the EU Projects Zone Podcast, Areti Ntaradimou is joined by Massimo Bertoncini to talk about the idea behind the BD4NRG project, how the team approached it, and finally the purpose of the project.

BD4NRG is an EU-funded project that focuses on unlocking and exploiting the economic potential of big data for the energy sector.

Massimo pointed out that while big data presents opportunities, it can also introduce challenges, particularly in the context of electricity grids. "The electricity grid could become more and more efficient in a landscape where renewable energy is playing a more prominent role," he said.

One of the main challenges that energy companies face nowadays, however, is according to Massimo "the capability to manage enormous amounts of data sets".

Listen to this episode of the EU Projects Zone Podcast and hear from Massimo Bertoncini how BD4NRG will stand as a testament to the potential of data sharing in shaping a more efficient and sustainable energy future.

In this episode of the EU Projects Zone Podcast, Areti Ntaradimou is joined by Francesco Saverio Nucci to talk about MATRYCS and how this project will combine existing modern technological breakthroughs to develop a new decision-making and data analytics solution for energy-efficient buildings.

MATRYCS is an EU-funded project that focuses on seven objectives, divided into three categories: Scientific, Technological and Business.

Francesco explains that the main goal of the projects "is to use machine learning, data and artificial intelligence to understand how to save energy in a building".

In other words, the project focuses on energy saving, while "at the same time we are trying to develop a cloud-based data analytics toolbox".

Listen to this episode of the EU Projects Zone Podcast to hear from Francesco Saverio Nucci how MATRYCS will develop a data-driven Reference Architecture for AI-based scalable big data management and analytics in smart energy-efficient buildings.

Listen also to other episodes of The EU Project Zone Podcast:
PlaMES with Matteo Pozzi
SmartSPIN with Luciano De Tommasi and Ruchi Agrawal
Smart2B with Nuno Mateus
ACCEPT with Ismini Dimitriadou
Graphene Flagship with Piero Gamarra

In this episode of the EU Projects Zone Podcast, Areti Ntaradimou is joined by Matteo Pozzi to talk about PlaMES and how this project will deliver a more reliable and effective energy system across all sectors.

PlaMES is a Horizon 2020 project that aims to plan the development of integrated energy infrastructure to guarantee a more reliable and effective energy system across all sectors.

"The objective of the project is to design decarbonized scenarios for the future, looking at 2040 and beyond, in a way that the investments can be sustainable," says Matteo.

"The problem", adds Matteo, "is that there is a lack of tools that actually cover the complexity of putting in the same place grid versus supply. Both systems will change quite dramatically in the future but understanding how to invest in the supply structure, is is going to be a big challenge at the EU, but also on a global level".

And the objective that the PlaMES project's team set for themselves was, according to Matteo, "to create something which would manage such problems and data structures with the capability to actually navigate and use the data effectively, which was a second element that was opted".

Listen to this episode of the EU Projects Zone Podcast to hear from Matteo Pozzi about how PlaMES will enable governments, from regional up to EU-level, jointly with Transmission and Distribution System Operators (TSO and DSO) as well as multi-utilities, to better plan the development of integrated energy infrastructures.

Listen also to other episodes of The EU Project Zone Podcast:

SmartSPIN with Luciano De Tommasi and Ruchi Agrawal
Smart2B with Nuno Mateus
ACCEPT with Ismini Dimitriadou
Graphene Flagship with Piero Gamarra

In this episode of the EU Projects Zone Podcast, Areti Ntaradimou is joined by Luciano De Tommasi and Ruchi Agrawal to talk about SmartSPIN and how this project will deliver a new business model for the energy sector.

This EU funded project aims at removing the current market barriers for integrating energy efficiency smart services in the commercial rented sector. To succeed in doing so, the project is developing a new business model beneficial for all parties involved.

"The new business model is expected to allow both owners and tenants to profit from energy efficiency improvements and flexibility services, redistributing the costs and also the benefits in a more fair and transparent way" says Luciano.

As for the main target audience of the project, Ruchi says that would be the "landlords and tenants of commercial rated buildings across Europe". As well as "Facility management companies, energy service providers, associations, finance providers, policymakers, etc."

Listen to this episode of the EU Projects Zone Podcast to hear from Luciano De Tommasi and Ruchi Agrawal about how SmartSPIN’s business model will integrate the latest advanced smart energy services concepts and technologies available on the market along with other non-energy services.

In this episode of the EU Projects Zone Podcast, Areti Ntaradimou is joined by Daniele Porcu to talk about Smart5Grid and how this project contributes to smart grid development through 5G.

The EU-funded Smart5Grid project aims to revolutionise the energy industry by establishing four novel fundamental functions in modern smart grids and allowing for the continuous and stable advancement of 5G technology by developing a 5G experimental facility for new improvements and changes.

The project focuses on investigating the use and implementation of 5G in the energy industry. It has several partners including DSOs , TSOs, technology partners and SMEs who make up more than half of the consortium.

Said Porcu: "We always seem to think about 5G as a medium to connect field devices to whatever, but since it is a digital network, there is an opportunity to modify this communication infrastructure based on our needs."

Listen to this episode of the EU Projects Zone Podcast to hear from project coordinator Daniele Porcu about how they are planning to tackle the issue of 5G tech not being spread throughout the European continent equally, which is hindering the project's pan-European approach.

In this episode of the EU Projects Zone Podcast, Areti Ntaradimou talks to David Emanuel Rua about the interoperable solutions InterConnect uses.

Project manager for InterConnect, Rua discusses the project's solutions that are connecting smart homes, buildings and grids.

"This is a large project, but if I was to summarise it in a few words, I would say it's designing the basics of, and the tools for, semantic interoperability of digital systems that cover the demand side" says Rua.

He adds, "we are creating the tools to certify different components in different systems that allow the interaction between them to produce".

When asked how the EU Commission and local authorities can help projects like InterConnect, Rua mentions that "initiatives such as Bridge for instance, where we share experiences" are a good start.

Listen to the discussion and find out about InterConnect’s seven large scale pilots, as well as lessons learnt now that the project is approaching its conclusion in October 2023.

Konstantinos Arvanitis is the coordinator of the project, while Yuliya Degtyariova represents the Ukrainian company that is a member of the project's consortium.

Together, they explain the main focus points of the project, as well as how the war in Ukraine and the Russian invasion have affected PRECEPT.

"Less energy, smarter buildings" is the motto of the project according to Konstantinos. He says that "there is a proposal to all European member states for all citizens to cut down the electricity and gas they spend, and basically, that is all PRECEPT is about".

Also, in a time of war, since one of the 5 use cases of the project is in Ukraine. According to Yuliya "We were quite active before the war, but when it started, we decided to put the project on hold".

That did not last long however, as in the course of a few months, the Ukrainian partners of the project realized that despite the difficulties they could continue. And so they did.

"We immediately informed our partners in the EU and our project partners that we are able and eager to continue" Yuliya says.

Listen to the discussion and find out how, according to Konstantinos and Yuliya, PRECEPT will help transform conventional residential buildings into highly efficient and proactive residential buildings. As well as what it means running a project in time of war.

Nuno Mateus is the Coordinator of Smart2B and in this podcast episode, he explains the objectives and innovations of this Horizon 2020-funded project.

"This project intends to develop a smart building ecosystem that aims to improve the smartness of an existing building" says Nuno.

"We are developing 3 main technological pillars including smart to be devices, platform, service and user interaction app" he adds.

The project's innovative technologies will interact with the occupants and the grid in real time and will manage themselves efficiently, so as to become an active element of the energy system.

As for the target audience of the project, according to Nuno "Since we are developing a full ecosystem, our technical audience includes from the end users to any other stakeholders in the energy sector".

Listen to the discussion and find out why Nuno counts Regulation as one of the big challenges that Smart2B had to face and overcome.

In this episode of the EU Projects Zone Podcast, Areti Ntaradimou talks to Carsten Rothballer about the ways in which Act!onHeat will raise awareness on heating and cooling on a pan-European level.

Carsten Rothballer is the Coordinator within ICLEI Europe of project Act!onHeat. In this podcast episode, he explains the objectives and innovations of this Horizon 2020-funded project.

The Act!onHeat project's aim is to "accelerate strategic heating and cooling planning within municipalities" says Carsten.

And to accomplish that, he adds, "it provides the framework methods in a structured way for municipalities to lead their decision making towards decarbonizing".

Heating and cooling is responsible for roughly half of Europe’s energy and depends mainly on fossil fuels. The project aims to raise awareness of that fact, as well as propose alternatives.

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According to Carsten and Act!onHeat they can be replaced by Renewable Energy Sources (RES).

"There are many alternatives to fossil fuels," says Carsten. He uses the example of district heating.

"District heating is a wonderful connector of different sources," he says, adding that all we need to do is "take a local inventory of what is available within the city boundary and even beyond, within the region".

Listen to the discussion and find out why Carsten believes that it will be a political and not a technological failure if we do not achieve our 2050 energy goals.

Igor is the coordinator of the project, which is developing, among other things, innovative systems to allow islands to integrate vast amount of renewables.

This is the second episode dedicated to this project. Last year together with Igor we demystified the project’s focus and action points. This time, we are focusing mostly on outcomes so far and lessons learnt, as well as next steps.

And as far as outcomes are concerned, according to Igor, those would be "the system integration of various solution providers and their technologies into one comprehensive solution".

Listen to the first episode about Gift

That, because "it's not so easy to integrate so many very advanced solutions from consortium partners in one integrated solution to operate consistently."

GIFT is in its final stages of development and according to Igor, the next steps would be "collecting and analyze all appropriate data from deployment".

Listen to the whole discussion and find out also what Igor hope to have accomplished once the project's work is concluded, as well as the lessons so far learnt.

In this episode of the EU Projects Zone Podcast, Areti Ntaradimou talks to Luca Ferrari about the ways in which RETROFEED will support industrial users.

Luca Ferrari is a senior energy consultant and responsible for the development of the digital tool of the project. In this podcast episode, he explains the project’s objectives and innovations.

"The idea on which RETROFEED is focusing is ways to reduce emission and increase the energy efficiency of industrial processes," says Luca. The word RETROFEED itself comes from the retrofitting of industrial applications.

"What we are trying to do is create technologies and innovation that could reuse materials in a different way, creating some circular economy and some synergies between different processes," says Luca.

At the same time, the project is trying to lower the impact on the environment of industrial processes and create innovation.

Follow the Projects Zone for the latest news about EU projects

And in addition, the project is "paving the way for future application also on a digital level because we think it's important now to start monitoring emission and energy efficiency on this industrial processes".

And how would one tackle the issue of local rules and regulations which might be different from country to country even within the union? Well, "luckily", says Luca, "digital solutions are borderless. So we could develop them n Italy and apply them in other the places as well".

Listen to the discussion and find out also how the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the operation of RETROFEED and how the issue was tackled.

In this episode of the EU Projects Zone Podcast, Areti Ntaradimou talks to Vincenzo Croce about the novel community-centred social, technological and business ecosystem that BRIGHT promotes.

Vincenzo Croce is the project’s coordinator and in this episode, he explains the project’s ambition to create a demand response strategy that will work from a day ahead scheduling up to real-time adaptive control.

"The project is addressing the needs of flexibility, which are changing due to the renewable energy resources that are penetrating the grid more and more", says Vincenzo.

Follow the Projects Zone for the latest news about EU projects

One of the project's objectives is to understand energy consumer behaviour. Given the diversity of the continent's various grids and consumers' mentalities, this can be, as Vincenzo says, "a challenging task".

"We have four different pilots, in four different countries, involving different regions. And this is our way to approach this diversity issue, by having diverse pilots."

After all, the project needs to "tailor specific solutions for a specific region, for specific needs. So, the wider the range of pilots and the information and content gathering that we can get the wider and more effective is the solution that we can bring".

Listen to the discussion and find out also how BRIGHT is going to allow individual assets to simultaneously provide power balancing service, grid congestion management, and economic benefits to participating stakeholders.

In this episode of the EU Projects Zone podcast, Areti Ntaradimou talks to Alvaro Nofuentes and Anastasis Tzoumpas about the cross border electricity interconnections that both TRINITY and Farcross promote.

Alvaro Nofuentes is the project coordinator of TRINITY and Anastasis Tzoumpas the technical manager of Farcross.

In this episode of the podcast they discuss the similarities and the differences between the two projects as well as ways that they can collaborate to promote cross border collaboration in a major scale.

"TRINITY is a project that focuses in enhancing the collaboration between the TSOs and facilitating the operation of the electricity markets" says Alvaro.

Farcross, on the other hand, "is a project that aims to facilitate the cross border flows between countries and also to unlock the capacities of the existing grids" says Anastasis.

Both projects want to help improve the cross border flow of electricity. They mostly focus on the South Eastern Europe, as well as the Central Europe.

"After some discussions, we figured out that we have a lot of synergy potential and together we have developed a common paper. There we show how our technologies are complementary" says Alvaro.

Extra focus is given to creating a resilient and safe grid when mobilizing RES, although according to Anastasis "The grids are not ready yet and thats why we need to apply innovation".

Listen to the discussion and find out also how TRINITY and Farcross unlock resources for the cross border collaboration flows despite the different rules and regulations in the various member states.

In this episode of the EU Projects Zone podcast, Areti Ntaradimou talks to Javier Valiño about data and the proposed concept and architecture of the Omega-X project.

Javier Valiño is the coordinator of the project and in this episode of the EU Projects Zone Podcast Series he is explaining the concept and objectives of the project.

Like, for example, the primary goal of the project’s reference architecture relies on deriving appropriate requirements for sound, secured and trusted data trading.

"Technology aside, the idea for us is to prove the benefits for everybody to share data, even if they are small data owners such as prosumers or large utilities," says Javier.

This is a much-needed operation since large amounts of valuable data are available in energy systems but are often underused.

Follow the Projects Zone for the latest news about EU projects

There is no single data platform, for example, connecting data from Europe's electricity sector's generation, transmission, distribution and consumption domains or across the various energy vectors – electricity, gas, heat, etc.

The barriers also imply the lack of proper mechanisms and policies that ensure secure, sovereign and fair data sharing according to the projects "manifesto".

Therefore, it makes sense that the EU Commission is looking for a single data market and projects like Omega-X are helping the commission achieve that goal. How?

The project is collaborating with other data spaces working on the same topic.

According to Javier, "we are collaborating with each other to maximize potential. We are always making sure that whatever we are doing is interoperable with whatever they are doing".

"Ultimately, in the following years, we will be testing how our data providers or service providers will be able to register, login, etc. on the other data spaces".

Listen to the discussion and find out also how Omega-X will help users achieve data sovereignty, the ability of a given actor (corporate or person) to act as self-determined for its own data.

In this episode of the EU Projects Zone podcast, Areti Ntaradimou talks to Ismini Dimitriadou about the digital toolbox that ACCEPT intends to develop and deliver.

Ismini is the project's coordinator and in this episode of the EU Projects Zone Podcast, she explains how this tool will facilitate the energy communities and achieve its goals without compromising the quality of living for the members of the communities.

The Core of the ACCEPT project is the concept of “energy communities” with the collective approach to bring citizens, local businesses and organisations together to produce and consume locally generated, renewable energy.

Ideally the project will increase their comfort with the assistance of smart devices. "What Accept will do" says Ismini, "is develop a suite of digital tools that will unlock flexibility for the energy communities."

Follow the Projects Zone for the latest news about EU projects

And by unlocking flexibility, the energy communities will be able to, according to Ismini, "offer services to third parties, for example DSOs, aggregators, retailers, and so on, but also to its members".

The project already accommodates the members of four energy communities.

According to Ismini, together with the communities, "what we do is look into business models that they can implement going forward.

"And we do that baring in mind that an energy community can assume different roles...for example the role of the retailer, or the aggregator or that of a service company".

The developed tools of the project will be demonstrated and validated in four pilot sites in Greece, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland involving more than 3,000 people and 750 residences.

Listen to the whole discussion and find out also how ACCEPT will help energy communities reduce their dependency on fossil fuels, save energy and thus be able to reduce their electricity bill.

Listen also to other episodes of The EU Project Zone Podcast:
Graphene Flagship with Piero Gamarra
Synergy with Ugo Stecchi
The EU Projects Zone Podcast: OneNet with Helena Gerard

In this episode of the EU Projects Zone podcast, Areti Ntaradimou talks to Helena Gerard about the OneNet approach to creating a fully replicable and scalable architecture that enables the whole European electrical system to operate as a single system.

Helena is the Workpackage leader and focuses on the market design of this EU-funded project, which aims to build a customer-centric approach to grid operation.

The project OneNet (One Network for Europe), led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology FIT, brings together a consortium of over 70 partners.

“The ultimate goal of OneNet is based on three pilars” says Helena, “first, we want to have one common market architecture for Europe. Second, we want one common ICT architecture for Europe. And third, we want to have this validated in one policy recommendation which will be supported by all stakeholders in the value chain”.

Follow the Projects Zone for the latest news about EU projects

If you have that as an objective, then you obviously need to be, according to Helena, “innovative, but you also need to test it in very different circumstances. And that is exactly what the OneNet project is doing”.

One big challenge that the project is tackling is “the coordination between TSOs and DSOs”. This is not a new challenge for the sector, but it is one that is becoming ever more urgent for the energy transition.

Tune in for more information on how OneNet’s architecture works across all levels, from small consumers to large producers.

In this episode of the EU Projects Zone podcast, Areti Ntaradimou talks to Carlos Damas Silva about the EUniversal approach to the use of flexibility by DSOs and their interaction with new markets.

Carlos is the coordinator of this EU-funded project, the focus of which is the development of the concept of the Universal Market Enabling Interface or UMEI, a unique approach to foster interoperability across Europe.

This is the second episode dedicated to this project. Last year together with the project’s representative we demystified the project’s focus and action points. This time, as the project enters its final stage we discuss the outcomes and next steps.

Listen to the first episode about EUniversal

According to Carlos, the years working on the project gave the team "a much clearer view on what we can take away from flexibility, as well as the grid's needs in terms of planning, expansion and operation".

One of the most important lessons learnt by working on EUniversal, among other things, "was how to run cost-efficient networks" says Carlos.

Follow the Projects Zone for the latest news about EU projects

As for the next steps for the project as it approaches its "expiration" day? "We have a very well-structured plan," says Carlos, "because the UMEI is open source for any stakeholder of the industry to use". In other words, the "expiration" date is anything but.

Listen to the whole discussion and find out also Carlos' vision for achieving interoperability at a pan-European level, as well as how regulators can help.

This episode was recorded at Enlit Europe in Frankfurt.

Ugo Stecchi is the coordinator of this EU-funded project, the framework of which references significant data architecture that leverages data, coming from diverse sources.

It includes 24 Partners in 9 countries, namely Spain, Greece, Finland, Cyprus, Croatia, Italy, Portugal, Austria, and Denmark.

“Synergy aims at designing and developing a big data and artificial intelligence analytics platform for energy purposes where the different stakeholders in the energy value chain are allowed to participate and to exchange their data in a trustful manner,” says Ugo.

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Working with data equals working with new and innovative technologies, such as blockchain, machine learning and artificial intelligence, but as Ugo says “we are keeping an eye on new technologies in general as they are evolving”.

According to the project’s ‘message’, a big data platform like this is due to help the electricity value chain stakeholders to:

• Simultaneously enhance their data reach;
• Improve their internal intelligence on electricity-related optimization functions while getting involved in novel sharing/trading models of data sources and intelligence to gain better insights;
• Shift individual decision-making to a collective intelligence level.

Most of the time, big data brings also big issues to the table. “In order to validate your model you need a big volume of data that needs to be coherent,” says Ugo. And that brings us to the harmonization issue.

On top of that we have the speed issue, meaning that “we need the correct, relevant data at the proper time” says Ugo.

Listen to the whole discussion and find out also Ugo’s vision on the uses of the platform, as well as how the Synergy project is going to remain an ethical tool respecting among others GDPR.

In this episode of the EU Projects Zone podcast, Areti Ntaradimou talks to Piero Gamarra about how graphene will jump out of the lab and into commercial applications of the energy sector.

Piero Gamarra is the business developer of the Graphene Flagship and as he says, his role is “to help the researchers bridge the gap between the lab and the industry”.

The Graphene Flagship can’t really be described as just an EU-funded project. And that is because it is one of Europe’s largest research initiatives, counting 170 partners in 22 European countries.

It is a huge project divided into six divisions and 19 Work Packages - covering everything from Fundamental Research, to Sensors, and Innovation.

With a budget of €1 billion, the Graphene Flagship represents a new form of joint, coordinated research on an unprecedented scale, forming Europe's biggest-ever research initiative.

“A lot of research has been done on graphene,” says Piero. “It is conductive, flexible, extremely light and selectively permeable”. And these attributes bring this form of carbon to a unique position to assist in the energy transition as it opens the path to many applications.

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“The energy sector is one of the important markets for graphene,” says Piero, as graphene can have various uses “from energy generation to energy storage, but also for electronics, sensors and composites to reduce carbon emission”.

Listen to the whole discussion and find out also Piero’s vision on the future uses of graphene, as well as how the Graphene Flagship is going to revolutionize the energy sector.

Listen also to other episodes of The EU Project Zone Podcast:
eCrew with Johannes Slacik
SmartBuilt4EU with Régis Decorme
FlexPlan with Gianluigi Migliavacca

Johannes Slacik, a senior expert in the department of energy economics of the Energy Institute at the JKU Linz, is a project associate for the Horizon 2020 funded eCREW project.

This EU-funded project supports innovators from the smart building value chain through concrete networking and communication actions.

According to Johannes, "With eCrew project we developed an additional business model, namely creating or establishing virtual energy communities that are managed with a collective action entity".

And the project will assist by creating a digital platform which will also show "the tariffs, the energy consumption and how much the consumers can save’ so that everything for the virtual energy communities will become transparent and visible.

To achieve that, eCrew will develop community renewable energy webs allowing households to optimise energy efficiency and reduce expenditures.

In addition, and since the European market is a mix of various countries that have differences in their regulations, Johannes says that "Due to the different regulations and due to the different national settings we do have to adjust the business model sometimes in a minor way and other times actually in a major way which means our business model is actually bound to the platform".

Listen to the whole discussion and find out also Johannes’ vision of the smart communities of the future, as well as how eCrew is going to promote regulation discussions in order to enable energy communities.

Régis Decorme, Managing Partner for R2m Solution, is one of the project partners of SmartBuilt4EU.

This EU-funded project supports innovators from the smart building value chain through concrete networking and communication actions.

Régis describes the project as “a coordination and support action funded by the European Commission”. In addition, the aim of SmartBuilt4EU “is to develop the European community of stakeholders who are interested in Smart buildings”.

That is a networking action which has as a focus according to Régis “to collect basically best practices and examples of technologies”.

In addition, the project also develops a Strategic Research Agenda combined with policy recommendations.

Régis believes that at least on an EU level “there is a strong element which is coming in terms of regulation and it’s the smart readiness indicator”. The smart readiness indicator is a new certificate promoted by the EU Commission and it is going to rate the smart readiness of a building.

“The smart readiness indicator is similar to the EPC (Energy Performance Certificate), and it is of course linked to energy efficiency,” says Regis and he adds that “it is really all about how smart is your building”.

Again, like with EPC the SRI is going to have grades from A to G. “A certificate like this is really going to push for smart building technologies,” Régis says.

Not to mention that the certificate can also support the regulation and facilitate the implementation of these new technologies.

Listen to the whole discussion and find out also Régis' vision of the smart cities of the future, as well as how SmartBuilt4EU is going to promote energy efficiency and flexibility for the grid.

Gianluigi Migliavacca, project manager at Ricerca sul Sistema Energetico (RSA SpA) is the coordinator of FlexPlan. By creating an innovative new methodology and a tool, Migliavacca explains, FlexPlan aims to support European system operators in performing mid-to-long-term planning studies. Focussing on three grid years (2030, 2040 and 2050), the project will consider system flexibility as an alternative to new grid investments.

Naturally, a large part of the conversation revolves around Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and the push for a steadily increasing penetration to the grid infrastructure in Europe and the world. That is due – among other things – to the ambitious decarbonisation goals for 2050 and beyond.

According to Migliavacca, especially for operators of the future, “RES is becoming a priority both for decarbonisation and for making possible to make Europe independent from fossil fuels”. This is also in line with the EU Commission’s directives.

But since this kind of generation is characterised by high variability, it makes the electric grid operation much more complex and affected by uncertainty. There is indeed a high request for resources providing flexibility to the system. And this is what motivates the FlexPlan Horizon2020 project.

Listen to the whole discussion and find out also how Migliavacca believes that the FlexPlan will facilitate the European energy transition according to the official mandates.

The project is developed by a consortium including members from six European countries. “We have currently pilots in three different locations” says Lola “two in Slovenia, one in Bulgaria and one in Greece”

The pilots, cover different scenarios and according to Lola “this is a very good thing, as we can address different geographical, economic and social conditions”.

Some of the challenges that X-FLEX is addressing focus on ensuring that the energy we are using is clean as well as cheap as it can be.

“And at the same time” says Lola, “that we are improving the flexibility and stability of the supply chain on the network with a special focus on extreme weather conditions”.

Listen to the full discussion and find out also how Lola believes that we can achieve flexibility in a Pan European level and which technologies best enable flexibility.

The core objective of EUniversal, an energy project funded by the European Union, is to develop a universal approach on the use of flexibility by DSOs and their interaction with new markets.

This approach will be enabled through the development of the concept of the Universal Market Enabling Interface or UMEI, a unique approach to foster interoperability across Europe.

But how possible is it to achieve interoperability in a pan European level or would it have to be localized? According to Pedro Marques, coordinator of the project, “It is possible if you keep it simple”.

And that is because the various European grids may have some peculiarities, “but the flexibility issue is not that different” says Pedro and he adds “Our aim is to reduce this barrier to introduce new stakeholders”.

“Since the main challenges are common, we should not limit innovation too much. We should standardise what’s essential and leave the rest to the market”

Pedro Marques

“By proposing an open solution without imposing limits. So, the UMEI will become publicly available and it can be a basis for a direct interface between all these stakeholders allowing for future enrichment”.

Moreover, Pedro adds that one of the project’s many goals is “the integration of different market flexibility options”. After all, in a union of so many different states and grids, flexibility is where most stakeholders focus on.

In the end however, it all comes down to the consumer. “We should never forget the customers. The customers are the ones that will make the best decisions maximizing social welfare if they have the right tools at their disposal”, says EUniversal’s coordinator.

Listen to the full discussion and find out also why Pedro believe that Europe is a leading authority when it comes to Smart Grids and why Artificial Intelligence will eventually take the lead.

And in addition, as Nikos Bilidis, coordinator of the INTERRFACE project, says in this episode of The EU Projects Zone Podcast “in a nutshell, the project is an open architecture for sharing data among all participants in the electricity system value chain, from local to European level”.

Emphasis on the European level and its peculiarities. So, how possible is the creation of a pan European grid architecture to be applied? “Yes, it is possible,” says Nikos “but of course, there are certain restrictions to take into consideration”.

This is why the team of the INTERRFACE project “tried to develop a platform that would be as modular as possible and to develop a system that would follow a plug and play manner”, adds Nikos. And that was made by design.

The platform supports the formulation of different products and services and the implementation of different and versatile coordination schemes based on the study of active system management that was published by ENTSO-E and E.DSO.

Listen to the full discussion and find out also how Nikos describes the ways that blockchain and smart contracts can help promote the participation of individual consumers in the energy sector.

During the EU Project Zone Podcast discussion with Michele de Gennaro, team leader of FITGEN and senior scientist at Austrian Institute of Technology, he emphasises how busy the sector is nowadays. 

“First and second life of battery cells, linking the automotive to the energy sector, as well as the reuse and recycling of red hearts from electric motors magnets. So a lot is happening. And we have also to give the time to regulation to develop,” he says. 

Moreover, retail prices get a prominent role. As Michele says: “The two elements that influence the retail price the most are the cost of the energy storage system, so, the cost of the battery, as well as the cost of the traction system”. 

And both of them are exacerbated by the relatively low production volume feature and work on the traction system. “It is designed to have a production cost of 2000 euros per unit at scale, and this is very close to the actual production cost of a midsize gasoline engine,” Michele adds.

When discussing e-vehicles and the infrastructure needed to integrate them into the power grid, Michele emphasises the fact that “super fast charge is not a need”. Contrary to what people think. 

“The only scenario where super fast charge is needed,” he adds, “is in the case of long road trips. And this is a scenario that is met a few times a year for most users”. Fair enough, but what happens when it is indeed needed? Even for those few times per year?

Michele does not worry and argues that in the case super fast charge is needed, "the rate needs to be deployed mainly along motorways where the driver can stop, rest and recharge the battery in 1520 minutes. Very much likely it happens today with gas stations”. 

Listen to the full discussion about FITGEN and find out also how “mobility will move away from the car ownership model to migrate towards an integrated system” as well as that “the end user product is not the car anymore in this system, but the mobility service and the experience of the mobility service itself”.

In this episode of The EU Project Zone Podcast, Areti Ntaradimou talks to project coordinator Igor Steiner about the ways in which GIFT aims to increase the penetration rate of renewable energy sources into the islands’ grid, in order to reduce their needs for diesel generation and decrease the greenhouse gases emissions directly related to it.

Within the course of 4 years, the project’s partners will develop and demonstrate solutions in two lighthouse islands. In Hinnøya, which is Norway’s largest island and on the small island of Procida in Italy. At the same time, they will study the replicability of the solutions in two other islands. A Greek and Italian island, respectively Evia and Favignana.

One of the focus points of the project and the conversation is that of electric vehicles and the data coming from them. According to Igor, “the countries, especially in the North, are already experiencing issues due to the high number of electrical chargers”. Mainly the fact that all that “should somehow be coordinated and managed to a degree that it causes no bigger issues than it already has”.

Another “hot” subtopic of the electric transportation concerning the European islands, is that of electric ferries. A very popular means of transportation between islands and between islands and the mainland in Europe. “When working with ferries, one needs to worry about whether the grid is strong enough to support them. Electric ferries require storage and their batteries can have the power of one megawatt or more. That can be a bit of an issue” says Igor.

And of course, all objectives of the GIFT project are only feasible with the support and participation of the people that live on the islands. Indeed, as the projects coordinator says, “the citizens of the islands are an important part of the energy community and as such, they are a priority”.

Listen to the full discussion to find out more about this innovative island project.

Pantera is a Horizon 2020 project that aims at setting up a European forum composed of Research & Innovation stakeholders active in the fields of smart grids, storage and local energy systems.

The name itself is an acronym standing for PAN European Technology Energy Research Approach and the vision behind the project is to create, through the EIRIE (European Interconnection for Research Innovation & Entrepreneurship) a multi-functional collaborative platform.

According to Venizelos Efthymiou, who is the Project Coordinator “the Pantera project attempts to bridge the gaps that currently exist in the energy field in Europe, between member states regarding research and innovation, and a foot and financial commitment for achieving the strategic objectives of Europe for 2030 and 2050, leading to a low carbon economy in support of them environmental aspirations of humanity”.

“Digitalization highly depends on communication infrastructure and related technologies”

Venizelos Ethymiou, project coordinator

The project is targeting specific areas of smart grids storage and local energy systems. Key objectives in this process is the development of a multifunctional platform to connect the EU research and innovation community and to enhance collaboration. “All contributing entities will benefit through the enhanced connectivity and wider range of services leaving no one behind” says Venizelos.

And as far as the diversity of the continents is concerned, the various grades and the peculiarities of each EU member state, securing fair and competitive research and innovation in a Pan European level is one of the objectives of the project.

“Diversity is actually a main objective of our project” says the Project Coordinator “and, it is true that we have diversity in the detail of the evolution of systems supporting the energy needs of Europe. And that is both natural and desirable.

But that diversity can at times be an obstacle, especially when it comes to rules and regulations. Policy according to Venizelos “is not responding to technology developments fast enough” and in addition “faster adoption of maturing technologies in research and development requires regulations to go a bit faster too”.

And Pantera, as a forum, will help unite the various voices of the industry and give them an opportunity not only to be heard, but to collaborate too.

Listen to the full discussion and find out also how Pantera assists the EU Commission and the stakeholders of the sector in connecting the dots so as to accelerate the energy transition.

Platone, an acronym for PLATform for Operation of distribution NEtworks, is a four-year Horizon 2020 project. It involves an international consortium of energy and IT experts, which works jointly to develop solutions to make flexible power generation and consumption a tradable good.

Unlocking these flexibilities allows integrating more renewable energies while maintaining grid stability. And in consequence to realize an open and non-discriminatory market, linking users, aggregators and operators.

Project coordinator Antonello Monti, University Professor and Director of the Institute for Automation of Complex Power Systems at RWTH Aachen University says, “Platone is unique in its approach. While creating open and fair conditions for all the stakeholders in managing flexibility, it promotes a tight interaction between markets and operation. This tight link is critical for the grid of the future where the dynamics will be faster requiring more and more real-time services and a high level of awareness for the operators.”

Platone solutions will be implemented and tested in three of the participating countries:

In the Italian case, Acea Energia S.p.A., represented by Areti S.p.A., with the support of Siemens, experienced Engineering – Ingegneria Informatica S.p.A. and start-up Apio S.r.l., will implement a local flexibility market in the metropolitan area of Rome.

The objective of the German field test is to implement a flexibility management instance balancing generation and demand within an energy community to a virtual island.

“The energy transition is only possible if customers are involved. And that's why I wish to emphasize that one key element of the Platone project is to create the condition for customers to be involved in the energy system”

Antonello Monti

And finally the Greek demonstration will take place in the Mesogeia area, which is considered suitable for demonstration purposes since it has a good penetration of various types of renewable energy sources, provides a mix of rural, urban and suburban areas with a customer mix including households and small, medium and large industries.

According to Antonello Monti, “the more renewables we have in the grid, the more flexibility will play a role. And with Platone we wish to create the conditions to access as much flexibility as possible in the distribution grid, as well as to create fair data management”.

Moreover, one of the main points of the Platone platform “is to facilitate the better use of the infrastructure we already have”.

Listen to the full discussion and find out also how Platone assists both the local DSOs and TSOs by providing them solutions for their ever growing needs.

Listen to the conversation to find out how MERLON assists the local DSOs by providing them with the tools for the provision of added value services to the overlay distribution grid.

Host:

• Areti Ntaradimou, Content Director, Enlit

Guest:

• Antonis Papanikolaou, Project Coordinator of MERLON and also the Head of R&D at Hypertech Energy Labs

For more information, visit: https://www.enlit.world/projects-zone/