Future energy systems will use renewable energy sources to minimise CO2 emissions. Currently large generators powered by fossil fuel turbines maintain the stability and quality of energy supplies through their inertia. The inertia of these generator-turbine groups gives providers a significant time window in which to react to network events. We urgently need to find ways to stabilise energy systems with up to 100% RES (where inertia is often lost due to power converter mediated energy transfer) to generate “RE-SERVEs” so that society can relax in the knowledge that it has a stable and sustainable energy supply. RE-SERVE will address this challenge by researching new energy system concepts, implemented as new system support services enabling distributed, multi-level control of the energy system using pan-European unified network connection codes. Near real-time control of the distributed energy network will be enabled by innovative 5G based ICT. Energy system use case scenarios supplied by energy providers will form the basis of energy system models. Performance characteristics of the new control mechanisms will be investigated through integration of energy simulations and live 5G communications. We will create a pan-European multi-site simulation test-bed, bringing together the best facilities in Europe. RE-SERVE results include published models of system support services, innovative architectures for the implementation of the services, performance tests on our pan-European real-time simulation, and live, test-beds, a model for pan-European unified network connection codes and actions to promote results to standardisation organisations, all of which maintain the RE-SERVE in energy systems. Commercialisation of results will result in breakthroughs in the efficient utilisation of use of RES, a spin-off and a wide range of enhanced professional solutions and services.

With the dramatic growth of renewables, now is the time to revise the VPP concept. VPPs need to support not only the promotion of intermittent renewables (RES) but also the integration of all Distributed Energy Resources (DER) into the full scope of grid operations. Such a leap raises challenges: optimal combination of DER and RES in a new generation of VPPs is needed to jointly provide grid supportive flexibility with slow reaction time known from day-head and intra-day markets, as well as real-time reaction to provide fast frequency and inertial response and dynamic-phasor driven voltage control ancillary services. In a nutshell, in a DER-based power electronics-driven network VPPs need to play all the roles that synchronous machines play in a traditional system. Flexibility can be provided by going beyond electrochemical storage and exploring opportunities offered by Power2X or inverters. Demand Side Management or low-cost solutions such as Power2Heat could be deployed in a neighbourhood expanding the concept of VPPs to the concept of a Local Energy Communities. EdgeFLEX links technical solutions to societal expectations. Short reaction times can be addressed by 5G-powered edge clouds linking dispersed devices in near real-time. In this respect, a new concept of VPPs, with communications corresponding to multiple layers of dynamics, becomes possible. EdgeFLEX proposes a new architecture for VPPs deploying such a multi-layer solution, paving the way for a fully renewable energy system. VPPs are brought to a new level, enabling them to interact on markets offering various ancillary services to System Operators. EdgeFLEX will develop this next generation VPP concept and demonstrate it in the context of 3 field trials and lab tests. It will explore innovative optimisations, financial tools and business scenarios for VPPs and assess the economic and societal impact. It will actively work to remove barriers by contributing to standards and European level regulation.

NEVERFLAT aims to develop and demonstrate in real-life settings an innovative, efficient, and user-friendly pervasive low-cost smart bi-directional charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs), directly contributing to a specific strategic objective of the 2Zero Partnership - developing affordable, inclusive, user-friendly charging infrastructure concepts and technologies that include vehicle and grid interaction. It will bring crucial advancements in core hardware and software applied infrastructure innovation (using cutting edge technologies like ML predictive models and simulation, or WBG semiconductors), optimization in deployment and placement of the novel charging solutions, their strategic orchestration improving operative performance, grid stability and RES utilization, and social and business model innovations and incentivisation involving relevant SSH expertise in the consortium, together with major industry partners, innovative SMEs and research organizations. The complete integrated and deployed charging solution will be validated in extensive operational urban and peri-urban environments on pilot sites in Germany, Romania and Spain, showcasing the potential for widespread massive adoption, user acceptance and seamless coverage interoperable across European country borders, contributing to removing barriers to EV user acceptability.

The energy systems of 2025 will be based on increasing levels of RES penetration and DSO’s will need new insight into how their networks are performing to optimise their operations financially. At the same time, the 5G mobile networks will be deployed by 2025 offering low latency, high availability services enabling data driven control. The evolution of the energy sector is increasingly focused on energy as a service. What DSOs now need is to accelerate their ability to introduce innovations, such as those based on the sharing economy, by themselves using services increasing their flexibility to adapt and reducing their need for fixed investments. SOGNO will address this challenge by combining the application of deep intelligence techniques, industry grade data analysis and visualisation tools, advanced sensors, an advanced power measurement unit and 5G based ICT to provide fine grained visibility and control of both MV and LV power networks using end to end automation in a virtualised environment. Our results are provided as turnkey services, validated in DSO field trials (to TRL level 6) preparing them for market introduction beginning shortly after the project ends. An Open API will be provided to enable third parties to market their services in our eco-system creating further market growth. Regulatory and standards changes needed to enable the deployment of advanced techniques will be prepared by the project. Ethical business models will support the market introduction of turnkey services. Commercialisation of the project results, as energy services, will result in disruptive change in the DSO energy market enabling breakthroughs in the speed and cost effectiveness of DSO large scale roll out of automation and growth in the energy services market in Europe and beyond. The SOGNO vision will unlock a new service-oriented market making Europe’s energy sector the most advanced and open in the world.

The immediate objective of project EDDIE is to develop a Blueprint Strategy for Digitalisation of Energy value chain (BSDE), based on sustainable cooperation (and partnership) among key stakeholders, matching current and future demand of skills, and the supply of best practices and courses from education/training providers. The design of such strategy must address long-term goals such as the efficient digitalisation of the European Energy Sector for innovation and competitivenes, the modernisation and flexibilisation of the training & education ecosystem, and -in general- the improvement of employability and sustainability (meaning green skills and circular economy) in the European context. Three Work Packages are devoted to management (including quality and dissemination): • WP1 Project Management • WP7 Dissemination, Exploitation and Policy recommendations • WP8 Monitoring and Evaluation The other five are directly involved in the contents, research and contributions of the project: • WP2 Identification of current and future skill needs in the Energy Sector • WP3 Stakeholder mapping and strategic network building • WP4 Assessment of policies and requirements for VET and beyond • WP5 Blueprint for the digitalisation and decarbonisation of the European Energy sector development • WP6 Blueprint: Roll out and action plan WP7 results are relevant both for the Consortium itself and for the overall goals of the project since they help building the stakeholders system and networking. The degrees of activity and media diversity are quite satisfactory during the first year of the project (including WEB page, blogs, social networks, interviews, events, and newsletters) The results from WP2 -this work package has already been completed- are critical for the digital skills analysis of the Sector, successfully addressing the needs (demand) the current training supply, and the skill gaps. The results are documents and tools (tailored surveys and analysis methods). WP3 is directly devoted to the stakeholders’ map, and it has not delivered formal results yet – although it is running on schedule. WP4 has produced -as expected- a first delivery, a comparative analysis of VET systems in five European countries, being VET one of the key topics of the SSA initiatives. WP5 is closely aligned with the BSDE design, and it has not delivered formal results yet – although it is running on schedule. It is currently at a brainstorming and speculative stage, consistent with an openminded, complex and ambitious approach. The results from WP1 and WP8 are only relevant for internal issues, and they have provided the project with good management and quality standards. Project implementation is well going along the schedule and with the defined scope. Management routines are running smoothly and efficiently. COVID 19 did not cause any significant impact, apart from impeding presential meetings that could help to enhance the institutional and personal relationship. Members have been fully committed in their assignments and resources dedication, with the only exception of a member (GE) leaving the Consortium by July and due to their own reorganization and new strategy definition. Since then, all the other members have filled out any gap due for GE (second half of the period). The Participation of the International Advisory Board as well as the Dissemination activities have shown an increasing degree of interest in EDDIE, fully aligned with the relevance of the Green Deal and Digital Europe programs very much highlighted in the Recovery Plans.