COREu will demonstrate key enabling technologies in a CCS value chain and support the development of three new CCS routes in Central-East Europe (CEE), helping accelerate CCS development . COREu will (a) provide the means for development of an open-access, trans-national network (infrastructure and logistic) to connect emitters with storage sites in Europe, by identifying multimodal transport requirements, and developing emitters’ clusters to create the demand and the investment rationale, (b) increase the knowledge of the CCS value chain across Europe through interconnected initiatives, sharing of experience, knowledge and data to create a common framework that encompasses all key aspects of CCS deployment: technological know-how, business models, consensus management, monitoring, reporting and validation, policy framework, transport and storage safety. COREU will contribute to 6.8Mt/year in CO2 reduction by 2035 and 36Mt/year by 2050, develop 8 innovations for Measurement Monitoring Verification, interoperability and Value Chain Monitoring, and improve the Internal Rate of Return of CO2 infrastructure investment by 6% through de-risking core technologies.

CRETE VALLEY aims to create a Renewable Energy Valley 'Living Lab' (REV-Lab) in Crete. It is envisioned as a decentralised renewable energy system that combines leading-edge ICT technologies, interoperable and open digital solutions (including data sovereignty), social innovation processes, and sound business models that are easy to adopt. CRETE VALLEY will demonstrate a digitalised, distributed, renewable, low carbon landscape that is affordable for all and fully covers the local energy needs on an annual basis, utilizing multiple renewable energy carriers and leveraging energy storage technologies. The REV-Lab will integrate four Community Energy Labs (CELs) located in distinct sites across CRETE VALLEY, conceived as Innovation Hubs. An integrated social, technological & business approach will be deployed, providing: A Social Science Framework for REV-Labs & CELs, innovative multi-level governance models & social-driven mechanisms for involving citizens in the co-design, implementation and exploitation of RES; AI-based market segmentation algorithms, MCDA methods and consensus analysis for REV configuration; Interactive tools for REV planning (REV Readiness Assessment & computation, Augmented Reality applications, decision support tool); Energy Data Space compliant digital backbone for consumer and REV-level data-driven ‘activation’; P2P DLT/Blockchain digital marketplace for tokenised energy and non-energy assets valuation and reciprocal compensation; Data-driven operational analysis, advanced AI/ML tools and flexibility modelling services for optimal operation & resilience of the local energy grid; System-of-system Dig. Twin for multiple carrier grid management & operation; Data-driven services and apps for energy efficiency and activation performance management towards energy autonomy; Enabling RES technologies to increase the power production; REV Business Sandbox and blueprints for REV-Lab setup, upscaling and replication (including 4 Follower Communities).

The goal of 24_7 ZEN is to design and build a high performing 33/100kW scale rSOC power balancing plant and demonstrate its compatibility with the electricity and gas grids. The multidisciplinary consortium behind this project has been spearheading innovations in the energy management and are pioneers on the rSOC systems development. Together, they cover every step of the value chain from enhanced materials on the cell level (POLITO, FORTH, IREC), fully operational rSOC system (SP_CH, SP_IT, OST) fully integrated, plug and play ecosystem for grid interconnection (INER, BOS, CERTH), renewable energy generation (EUNICE), transmission system operator (DESFA) and international quality assurance (KIWA). The ecosystems’ ability to optimize efficient routes of Power to Gas to Power, using H2 or NG as fuel and inject H2 into the grid, transition in <30 minutes and round trip efficiency of 45% will be demonstrated while ensuring compliance with standards and safety regulations. Finally, the consortium count on well-connected organizations in the European hydrogen, electricity and grid services sector (HSLU, CLUBE) that ensures the dissemination of the developed new business models and practices for renewable energy storage, including new concepts for the delivery of green hydrogen. This consortium will develop and validate an ecosystem that can be efficiently scaled and replicated to multi-MW scale installations. Further knowledge on how to improve the performance of rSOC (degradation rates of 0.4%/kh for 1000h, current densities of 1.5A/cm2 in both modes) and make them more cost competitive (by reducing CAPEX from 6000€/kW to 3500€/kW) will be generated. At the end of the project, new and viable scenarios to provide grid balancing and supply green hydrogen will be presented by means of a deep techno-economic analysis. By advancing rSOC towards commercial exploitation, the renewable hydrogen deployment required for a climate neutral Europe will be one step closer.