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Enabling next-generation of smart energy services valorising energy efficiency and flexibility at demand-side as energy resource

 

2018 (Coordination and support action):

Actions should allow different market actors to get together and focus on developing integrated concepts and models which

  • enhance and refine successful energy performance contracting models and/or;
  • include pay-for-performance schemes and/or;
  • include customer individualized energy services as a result of better understanding of customer behaviour and needs derived of new data analytics tools;
  • engage new sectors and actors and/or;
  • integrate energy efficiency services with other energy services like distributed generation and demand response and including storage/hybrid energy systems and/or non-energy related services; these should be endorsed by relevant stakeholders and validated (for example tested around existing projects or projects under development);
  • factor in potential legal and contractual aspects (e.g. in relation to existing contracts or warranty, safety and data security issues linked to existing and newly deployed equipment).

Proposed actions should cover at least two (but not necessarily all) of the relevant areas and aspects identified below:

  • Energy service models (like EPC) and services that target new sectors and new actors;
  • Business models which work equally for energy efficiency and other services, building on contractual arrangements across different actors (ESCOs, aggregators, DSOs, energy cooperatives, obliged parties under the Energy Efficiency Obligation Schemes implementing art 7 EED and eventually the consumers) which traditionally cover different use cases business interests and different revenue;
  • ""Pay for performance""-schemes which focus on permanently reducing power consumption in particular at peak times, thus attracting new sources of financing;
  • The use of 'big data' generated by smart meters, equipment, sensors and tools for standardised processes enabling a more accurate and dynamic measurement and verification of energy savings and flexible consumption, also in order to ex-ante identify and develop business opportunities;
  • Additional non-energy features that support the up-take of innovative energy efficiency services and technologies;
  • Improving the accessibility and quality of demand side service providers while enhancing their access to the market.

Proposals are expected to include clear business model development and a clear path to finance and deployment. Key partners should have the capability and interest in making the developed solution a core part of their business/service model to their clients.

The Commission considers that proposals for Coordination and Support Actions requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 1 million and 2 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

2019 (Innovation action):

Projects should focus on demonstrating and testing innovative energy services in a real environment, across several market segments and across different actors in the value chain. To be economically viable, these services need to be able to rely on sound measurement and verification methodologies. They should cover several but not necessarily all of the relevant areas and aspects identified above, blending in innovative manner different revenue streams coming from different market segments and they should in all cases include innovative verification and monitoring measures. Moreover, they should demonstrate how potential legal and contractual aspects (e.g. in relation to existing contracts or linked to the use of equipment) have been accounted for.

Proposals should demonstrate that the tested business models and services are self-sustainable after the end of the project. The upfront investments in energy efficiency measures (e.g. upgrading of building energy performance) and in smart building systems should be paid back at least in part by revenues coming from energy savings and remunerated flexibility.

The Commission considers that proposals for Innovation Actions requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 3 and 4 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Where possible and appropriate, the actions should cooperate with the projects funded under the topics: DT-ICT-10-2018: Interoperable and smart homes and grids, DT-ICT-11-2019: Big data solutions for energy in the WP 5.i ICT, and LC-SC3-ES-6-2018-2020: LC-SC3-ES-5-2018-2020: TSO – DSO – Consumer: Large-scale demonstrations of innovative grid services through demand response, storage and small-scale (RES) generation.

Energy Efficiency services (e.g. Energy Performance Contracting (EPC)) are available on the market already for quite some time. However, there is a big untapped potential in sectors and with actors not yet engaged in services triggering energy, CO2 and cost savings. At the same time, new technologies have emerged opening the door for new types of services which use ICT to better control and steer energy consumption according to market and system needs and to the availability of renewable energy; others are able to integrate energy services with non-energy benefits such as comfort. By bundling various services and benefits, additional target groups, sectors and financial resources can be accessed. Actions are also needed to structure and label the quality of demand side service providers (like ESCOs aggregators and energy cooperatives) and improve their accessibility for end energy users.

Finally, ICT-tools and big data generated by smart meters, smart devices and sensors will help monitor and verify energy savings and flexibility and thus provide for appropriate remuneration of optimised consumption. A particular challenge for energy services of this kind is that while they aim to involve different services (e.g. system services) and benefits (e.g. comfort) towards increasing their viability, they should nevertheless result in real, measurable energy savings and performance improvements of the overall energy system.

Proposals are expected to demonstrate the impacts listed below, using quantified indicators and targets wherever possible:

  • Primary Energy savings triggered by the project (in GWh/year);
  • Investments in sustainable energy triggered by the project (in million Euro);
  • Improved viability of innovative energy services.

In addition, proposals are expected to demonstrate, the impacts listed below, using quantified indicators and targets wherever possible:

  • A growing offer and up-take of services that combine energy efficiency with other energy services, technologies and non-energy benefits;
  • A growing up-take of innovative data gathering and processing methods in the monitoring and verification of energy savings and flexibility;
  • The application of methods and concepts to ensure that: (i) innovative energy services are reliable and verifiable, (ii) service providers are trustworthy and accessible.

Additional positive effects can be quantified and reported when relevant and wherever possible:

  • Reduction of the greenhouse gases emissions (in tCO2-eq/year) and/or air pollutants (in kg/year) triggered by the project.