During NEON’s inaugural year, the consortium analyzed available components and services, aligning them with SGAM’s interoperability layers: Business (applications/dashboards), Function (components and services), Information (data exchange), Communication (information exchange protocols), and Component (physical components distribution).
The partners assessed the regulatory, legal, and financial landscape at European and national levels, influencing NEON’s core activities. They evaluated financing and contracting mechanisms for integrated energy services in Citizen Energy Communities (CECs), leading to viable instruments and KPIs to assess future energy community success.
A thorough review of the European and national (Italy, France, Spain) regulatory frameworks concerning energy efficiency and integrated services was conducted. Post an in-depth analysis request by the Project Officer, the team evaluated financing schemes, financial and technical barriers, and existing Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) and Pay for Performance (P4P) schemes. Discrepancies have been identified between energy community needs and standard contracting models, devising a methodology with guidelines for community-level contracting scheme implementation. Additionally, the workflow included desk analysis and shared experiences to identify financial structures minimizing business risk and promoting the economic viability of renewable energy communities, focusing on financial strategies supporting energy efficiency, renewable sources, and digital innovation.
NEON’s project development included using key services like load and PV production forecasts, forming the project’s backbone. A digital control algorithm was then created to cut energy use while maintaining comfort in buildings. An optimized energy dispatch for community-level to enhance asset scheduling and a demand response (DR) flexibility service were also developed. CECs were shown to provide not just energy services but also comfort, well-being, and security.
An open marketplace platform using blockchain technology was set up to enable decentralized energy or flexibility exchange amon CECs members and stakeholders (Such as DSOs), ensuring data security and transparency. It features performance measurement and verification via smart contracts for automated settlement and service remuneration. An incentivized ranking system rewards community members for energy saving incentives.
Social and economic impacts and expectations of CECs were assessed through surveys, interviews, and workshops, with relevant KPIs used to quantify energetic and economic impacts from pilot data. Challenges and best practices for CECs were identified, covering legal, regulatory, administrative, and financial aspects.
For exploitation and dissemination, NEON was featured at 9 conferences and 7 workshops, providing opportunities to present project outcomes and promote the concept of CECs. Five scientific papers were published and disseminated through social networks or conferences. and project findings were shared at a CINEA-organized building clustering meeting, fostering exchange with related projects.
