The new Opentunity project will open electricity ecosystems towards a real EU decarbonization
On 1st January 2023, the new project OPENTUNITY on “opening the electricity ecosystem to multiple actors in order to have a real decarbonization opportunity”, funded by the Horizon Europe Programme with 8.5M€ and set for 4 years, was launched. As part of a consortium of 21 partners in 8 countries throughout Europe working on the project, the Laboratory of energy policy will take care of the Deployment and demonstration activities.
OPENTUNITY aims to create a flexibility ecosystem reducing interoperability barriers and favouring the use of standards in order to decarbonize EU grids and put the end-user in the spotlight. Grid operators, prosumers, market actors, among others will be supported by OPENTUNITY via innovative methodologies backed by advanced, interoperable software to provide them with new features and services related to technologies to boost flexibility in prosumer’s environments and technologies for grid operators to better manage grid operations.
This will be done through the deployment of thirteen innovations than can be divided in four categories: technologies to boost flexibility in Prosumer’s environment; supporting Technologies for DSOs/TSOs to better manage grid issues; energy-specific Blockchain for supporting new grid mechanisms; and procedures for enhancing interoperability.
Through the demonstration and integration of the innovative solutions proposed by OPENTUNITY, it will be possible to create a synergic energy ecosystem where grid operators will have better technology tools and the prosumers will be able to unlock the potential of their energy assets.
OPENTUNITY will be demonstrated by the end-users of the project (4 DSOs, 1 TSO, 1 Retailer and 1 Aggregator) with the support of the technical partners. These solutions will be tested and validated in 4 different EU Countries: Greece, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland, benefitting 26.852 citizens and reducing 91,22 MtCO2eq GHG emissions and energy poverty by 30% by 2032. The project could imply a reduction of 30% in energy bills leading to a reduction in energy prices up to 5 cts/kWh in Greece, 4,98 cts/kWh in Slovenia, 6,9 cts/kWh in Spain and 6 cts/kWh in Switzerland.