An inspiration for INVADE are the world-wide agreements on minimisation of human caused effects to climate change and energy efficiency targets set at the European Union with ambitious goals for reduction of greenhouse gas emission and for increase of renewable energy share. To enable a higher share of renewable energy sources to the smart grid and gain a traction in the market place a few critical barriers must be overcome. There is a deficiency of 1) flexibility and battery management systems 2) exploration of ICT solutions based on active end user participation 3) efficient integration of energy storage and transport sector (EVs), 4) novel business models supporting an increasing number of different actors in the grid. INVADE addresses these challenges by proposing to deliver a Cloud based flexibility management system integrated with EVs and batteries empowering energy storage at mobile, distributed and centralised levels to increase renewables share in the smart distribution grid. The project integrates different components: flexibility management system, energy storage technologies, electric vehicles and novel business models. It underpins these components with advanced ICT cloud based technologies to deliver the INVADE platform. The project will integrate the platform with existing infrastructure and systems at pilot sites in Bulgaria, Germany, Spain, Norway and the Netherlands and validate it through mobile, distributed and centralised use cases in the distribution grid in large scale demonstrations. Novel business models and extensive exploitation activities will be able to tread the fine line between maximizing profits for a full chain of stakeholders and optimizing social welfare while contributing to the standardization and regulation policies for the European energy market. A meaningful integration of the transport sector is represented by Norway and the Netherlands pilots – with the highest penetration of EVs worldwide.

For the mass deployment of electric trucks, the FLEXMCS project aims to overcome challenges regarding the acceleration of the roll out of charging infrastructure, in expanding grid capacity and available charging infrastructure. FLEXMCS designs highly energy-efficient megawatt-charging hubs with multiport chargers, which improve the utilisation and can be used flexible, for HDVs during fast charging, but also at night for slower charging and for light vehicles. The project will integrate renewable energy sources in the charging hub to minimize energy losses and grid impact. Furthermore, the project will develop tools for optimal utilisation of charging infrastructure and user convenience. An Open Charging Framework architecture, will create real-time data exchange between CPOs and truck, to match the supply and demand of charging infrastructure. Part of the project is also the streamlining of the planning and installation of new charging hubs, identification of optimal geographical locations along TEN-T corridors and optimizing hub architecture and layout, and addressing technical and non-technical barriers. FLEXMCS will demonstrate and assess the FLEXMCS megawatt-charging hub concept and upscaling strategy, validating technology effectiveness and formulating business cases. The project partners include Vrije Universiteit Brussel as the coordinator, along with Hitachi Energy, JEMA Energy as charging infrastructure suppliers, ElaadNL representing grid operators, IVECO spa and DAF trucks regarding the interoperability for trucks, Bosch Service Solutions GmbH for access and control systems on the charging hub, Alfen for stationary energy storage, Ricardo, TNO, IDIADA Automotive Technology SA and Austrian Institute of Technology for the development of tools and algorithms, and ALICE and Gruber Logistics SPA for giving an end-user perspective on all systems.

Five DSOs (CEZ distribuce, ERDF, EON, Enexis, Avacon) associated with power system manufacturers, electricity retailers and power system experts, propose a set of six demonstrations for 12 to 24 months. Within three years, they aim at validating the enabling role of DSOs in calling for flexibility sources according to local, time-varying merit orders. Demonstrations are designed to run 18 separate use cases involving one or several of the levers increasing the local energy system flexibility: energy storage technologies (electricity, heat, cold), demand response schemes with two coupling of networks (electricity and gas, electricity and heat/cold), the integration of grid users owning electric vehicles, and the further automation of grid operations including contributions of micro-grids. The use cases are clustered into three groups. Three use cases in Sweden and the Czech Republic address the enhancement of the distribution network flexibility itself. Five use cases in France, Germany and Sweden demonstrate the role of IT solutions to increase drastically the speed of automation of the distribution networks, which can then make the best use of either local single or aggregated flexibilities. Ten use cases in Czech Republic, France, The Netherlands and Sweden combine an increased network automation and an increased level of aggregation to validate the plausibility of local flexibility markets where both distributed generation and controllable loads can be valued. Replicability of the results is studied by the DSOs and industry with an in-depth analysis of the interchangeability and interoperability of the tested critical technology components. Dissemination targeting the European DSOs and all the stakeholders of the electricity value chain will be addressed by deployment roadmaps for the most promising use cases, thus nourishing the preparation of the practical implementation of the future electricity market design, the draft of which is expected by end of 2016.

Progressus supports the European climate targets for 2030 by proposing a next generation smart grid, demonstrated by the application example “smart charging infrastructure” that integrates seamlessly into the already existing concepts of smart-grid architectures keeping additional investments minimal. The expected high-power requirements for ultra fast charging stations lead to special challenges for designing and establishing an intelligent charge-infrastructure. As emission free traffic concepts are a nascent economic topic also the efficient use of charging infrastructure is still in its infancy. Thus, novel sensor types, hardware security modules, inexpensive high bandwidth technologies and block-chain technology as part of an independent, extendable charging energy-management and customer platform are researched for a charging-station energy-microgrid. Research of new efficient high-power voltage converters, which support bidirectional power flow and provide a new type of highly economical charging stations with connected storage and metering platform to locally monitor the grid state complements the activities. The stations are intended to exploit the grid infrastructure via broadband power-line as communication medium, removing the need for costly civil engineering activities and supplying information to the energy management solutions for utilization optimization. Smart-Contracts via block-chain offer a distributed framework for the proposed energy management and services platform. Furthermore hardware security hardens the concept against direct physical attacks such as infiltration of the network by gaining access to the encryption key material even when a charging station is compromised. Progressus solutions are estimated to enable a carbon dioxide saving of 800.000 tons per year for only Germany, will secure the competitiveness of European industry and research by extending the system know how and will thus safeguard employment and production in Europe.

SCALE will enable and facilitate the mass deployment of electric vehicles and the accompanying smart charging infrastructure. To do so, SCALE will systematically assess customer expectations, identifying EV-users’ preferences, existing obstacles and potential incentives to charge smartly. By this, SCALE ensures co-creation and -optimisation, preparing for an open smart charging & V2X eco-system that equally benefits users, cities & regions, businesses, and society at large. SCALE brings together leading existing research & innovation initiatives and smart charging demonstration testbeds from across Europe forming a unique knowledge & collaboration platform. The consortium builds upon existing technologies, standards, and protocols as much as possible and focuses on research and developments of the missing and/or incomplete elements and links. The 29 project partners and associated organisations have been carefully selected and have all the necessary scientific, practical, and technical expertise to develop, test & validate and exploit smart charging & V2X solutions. Partners cover the entire value chain and comprise of leading European OEMs, DSO/ TSOs, CPOs, e-mobility service providers, public authorities, research & knowledge partners, EV user associations and European networks & multipliers. Multiple SCALE consortium partners are directly involved in EC’s European Alternative Fuels Observatory & other important European e-mobility initiatives (STF, Clean Bus Europe). SCALE creates a critical mass to develop the technological, regulatory, organisational and legal readiness that is needed for a mass-market. SCALE will initiate a Joint European Procurement for V2X chargers based on open standards, run by 5 European cities. The Open V2X Alliance ensures SCALE’s legacy during and after the project’s lifetime.