As postulated in the proposal, the concept for local energy markets has gained considerable traction both at the community level and at the regulatory/policy making levels. Microgrids and energy cooperatives have sprung around the world but a unifying market structure for operation of microgrids together with flexibility and energy services is yet to be developed. EMPOWER has made significant progress in this direction by integrating local markets in energy, flexibility and services together with a cloud-based ICT platform. A new market role of a smart energy service provider (SESP) has been created, characterized and defined. The SESP builds and nourishes the local community around local energy markets, participates in wholesale energy markets, acts as an aggregator on behalf of the community, sells flexibility to the DSO and provides a range of user-centric services to its members. However, the SESP needs a sound business model to be economically viable and sustain its planning and operations. Network-based platform business model concepts such as Airbnb, Uber, etc. have begun to percolate down to everyday lives. EMPOWER aims to translate the best of these business models and more to the energy sector through the SESP to create a huge impact among communities and increase user-awareness about energy distribution, consumption and especially local and green energy production. At the community level, residents from the pilot area in Norderhaugveien in Hvaler, Norway, have been educated about the project and have expressed great interest in participating in the pilot and can’t wait to get started. At the business level, EMPOWER has been able to successfully raise awareness and attract the attention of market players from various parts of the world such as EPEX, Engie, MGM and Advancy consultants, Corador, Brooklyn microgrid project, Factor Energia, etc. These players have expressed a keen interest in following the progress of the project in addition to providing encouraging feedback. At the regulatory and policy level, EMPOWER has already set in motion a nation-wide debate on the competitive and cooperative nature of roles of traditional market players and local market aspirants. The cross market operations proposed in the local market design is beginning to make it clear and emphasize that coexistence between local market players and traditional players is here to stay and that they can enjoy both a complementary and a supplementary relationship.
