The project HYPERRIDE (HYbrid Provision of Energy based on Reliabilty and Resiliancy via Integration of Dc Equipment) contributes to the field implementation of DC and hybrid ACDC grids. Starting with the definition of most relevant fields of application for DC grids (local microgrids, grid enforcement to overcome congestions, coupling of AC grid sections, etc.), the enabling technologies will be specified in detail on different levels. Starting from the system perspective, guidelines for grid planning and operation are developed. To optimize invest for the use case dependent use of assets available sizing tools are adapted for the field of DC grids.DC circuit breakers are key technologies for grid protection needed to overcome the main concerns related to these infrastructures. Therefore, HYPERRIDE will raise the TRL of the most promising approaches currently available with a main focus on MVDC breakers. To enable grid automation DC sensors are developed further to provide field ready devices to create data for optimal grid automation. Automation algorithms will be created, validated in a test platform and transferred towards demonstration. This also involves concepts and solutions for cyber security and fault detection. In case of grid faults necessary solutions are developed to prevent cascading effects. For fault prevention databases are created to trigger preventive measures. With demonstrations in three countries (Aachen/Germany, Lausanne/Switzerland, Terni/Italy) the project will showcase relevant and above-mentioned enabling technologies within a wide range of use cases. Benefits of the solutions will be evaluated, especially the integration potential of renewables with respect to conventional AC grids. Finally, business models are created for the products, services and applications in HYPERRIDE.Consequently, HYPERRIDE will actively identify and provide solutions to overcome barriers for a successful roll-out of new infrastructure concepts throughout Europe.

Smart automated Demand Response (DR) represents a valid alternative to grid reinforement for electricity Distribution System Operators (DSOs) to procure in a cost-effective way the necessary flexibility for integrating larger shares of intermittent RESs, while not compromising security of supply and network reliability. However DR potential has been exploited so far to a very limited extent due to a number of technological, regulatory, economic barriers. To cope with these challenges, eDREAM will develop and make available a novel near real time DR scalable secure blockchain-driven technological and business framework aimed to optimize aggregated system services flexibility provisioning to DSOs. The project will research and develop tools and services for: i) optimal DR system design, which includes early detection of flexibility potential via multimodal fusion of aerial, LIDAR and thermal imaging, end users profiling and segmentation by leveraging on big data clustering and large data sets visual interactive exploration and DR optimization services for energy end users; ii) optimal DSO-driven Demand Response management, including novel applications of blockchain decentralized ledger for secure data handling, market-based microgrid control and near real time closed loop DR verification aimed to improve system observability and enable fair DR financial settlement. Novel flexibility market and services/products design, as well as cooperative DSO-aggregator business models enabled by incentive sharing will validate the eDREAM DR technical concept from the economic perspective. The eDREAM technologies will be extensively validated in a lab-based pilot (Greece), followed by two field pilots, a C&I VPP-based optimal aggregated flexibility management in UK and a mixed stationary and movable (EVs) loads flexibility microgrid-level optimized flexibility management in Italy.

SOFIE addresses the challenges of the call by creating a secure and open IoT federation architecture and framework. We use Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), including blockchains and inter-ledger technologies, to enable actuation, auditability, smart contracts and management of identities and encryption keys, and to enable totally decentralised solutions with virtually unlimited scalability. We address the fragmentation of IoT through federation rather than integration. Virtually any IoT platform can join the federation by creating, relatively simply, an adapter. Data remains in the respective IoT platforms and is usable by all the applications within the limits set by the applicable security and privacy policies. We exercise security and privacy by design. We provide end-to-end security, key management, authorisation, accountability, and auditability, utilising DLTs where applicable. The user shall retain control over their data also after the data have been stored in the Cloud or Fog in an EU GDPR (or other regulations) compliant manner. We base our work on existing open standards, interfaces and components, such as FIWARE, W3C Web of Things (WoT), and oneM2M. We will select existing components, develop new ones, and collect them — together with documentation, instructions and examples — into an IoT federation framework for creating administratively decentralised, open, and secure IoT business platforms from existing IoT platforms. We will demonstrate the practicality of our approach by using it in three pilots in three different sectors: food chain, gaming, and energy market. Three business platforms will be realised for the pilots. The results of the pilots will be evaluated against the key performance indicators. We actively participate in standardisation and disseminate our results through scientific journals, conferences, and workshops, but also the Web, social media and developer communities. We also aim to make at least two of the pilots sustainable.

The increasing electrification of heat and transport coupled with larger RESs deployment of decentralized RESs is disclosing new additional opportunities for demand response. However DR potential has been exploited so far to a very limited extent at end consumer residential level, due to technologies immaturity, regulatory fuzziness, distorted business framework preventing end consumers to capture an appropriate value. To cope with the above challenges, BRIGHT will leverage on a participatory co-creation process to bring individual consumers center stage to deliver a multi-layered community-centred cross-domain adaptable multi-timescale DR supporting framework which combines social-science-driven user experience design for user behavior motivations and monetary/non-monetary incentive design, Digital Twins models for improved consumer predictability, multi-layered P2P DLT/blockchain/smart contracts based semi-decentralized VPPs for capturing intra-community interaction dynamics, value stacking flexibility management algorithms and other AI data-driven energy and-non energy services at the interplay among energy (power, heat, gas), mobility, health (comfort), smart home (AAL, personal safety). The proposed approach and the underlying enablers will be deployed and validated in 4 demo-sites across 4 EU countries where around 1000 mostly residential consumers will be engaged along a variety of different community configurations (LEC, CEC, Virtual Energy Communities, Communities on the Move).

Traditional silo approaches, where stakeholders manage their own data, could be replaced by digital and smart buildings, merging heterogeneous data sources, and placing the stakeholders as the core of these buildings. DigiBUILD will catalyse this much-needed transformation by making use of high-quality data and next generation digital building services, supporting the deployment of EU-wide Framework for a Digital Building Logbook. An inclusive environment for multi-stakeholder knowledge exchange (based on European Bauhaus initiative) will be applied to co-design end-user-oriented services. DigiBUILD will provide an open, interoperable and cloud-based toolbox to transform current ‘silo’ buildings into digital, interoperable and smarter ones, based on consistent and reliable data, supporting better-informed decision-making for performance monitoring & assessment, planning of building infrastructure, policy making and de-risking investments. It will be built on top of existing platforms and common EU initiatives, towards an Energy Efficient Building Data Space, based on standard cloud-data platform frameworks (FIWARE) and Data Space initiatives (GAIA-X and IDSA). On top of this advanced data governance framework, we will create AI-based data analytics and Digital Building Twins based on high-quality data, aiming to facilitate transparency, trust, informed decision-making and information sharing within the built environment and construction sector, which will be deployed across 10 real-world conditions (TRL 8). DigiBUILD will contribute to the uptake of digital technologies in the building sector to better align the EU Member States’ long-term renovation strategies with the EPBD requirements on decarbonisation, and on a path towards a climate-neutral building stock by 2050.