ERA-Net Digitalisation of Energy Systems and Networks

Project Information

EnerDigit

Grant agreement ID: 883973

DOI

10.3030/883973

EC signature date 30 November 2020

Start date 1 December 2020

End date 30 November 2026

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost

€ 27 100 523,93

EU contribution

€ 8 907 285,42

Coordinated by

BUNDESMINISTERIUM FUER INNOVATION, MOBILITAET UND INFRASTRUKTUR
Austria

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - EnerDigit (ERA-Net Digitalisation of Energy Systems and Networks)

Reporting period: 2020-12-01 to 2022-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The JPP SES Focus Initiative Digitalisation of Energy Systems and Networks (EnerDigit) was created with the aim to establish transnational innovation eco-systems for the designing, implementing and testing of interoperable technical and business services for energy systems, unleashing the potential of digital transformation for the energy transition.

This ERA-Net EnerDigit Action aims to enhance the transnational collaboration in digital transformation of energy systems and networks. It helps unleashing the potential of digital transformation for the energy transition towards a de-carbonised, secure and resilient European energy system. The initiative coordinates relevant RDD programmes in the involved European and associated countries and regions.

Beyond the funding of transnational RDD projects, it accelerates the development of transnational innovation ecosystems by initiating a Transnational Validation Ecosystem with existing and upcoming living labs, allowing start-ups and innovative companies to test their solutions in different frameworks. It also promotes the development of interoperable solutions, enabling wider impact and use of applications, systems and services, by piloting an European Collaboration Platform for Interoperability Testing, providing an open, independent development and test environment for developers, manufacturers and suppliers of components and solutions for smart energy systems.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The RP1 period of the ERA-Net co-fund action “EnerDigit” (1.12.2020-31.12.20222) was a very important phase of further developing the Joint Programming Platform ERA-Net Smart Energy Systems: EnerDigit expanded the ERA-Net SES Focus Initiatives by amplifying the JPP-SES approach to support the development of need driven implementation environments on regional and local levels. By end of 2020, the EnerDigit Consortium launched its first (EC co-funded) call, focusing on the Digital Transformation for Green Energy Transition: the overall aim of this call is to support transnational research and innovation activities, unleashing the potential of digital transformation for a sustainable energy society.

Additionally, the following results were achieved in the reporting period:
• Further enlargement of the already developed umbrella “Joint Programming Platform Smart Energy Systems” by integrating the EnerDigit initiative.
• Start the implementation of ERA-Net co-fund action EnerDigit, particularly preparing and launching the first EnerDigit Joint Call 2020 (as MiCall20, prepared in collaboration with Mission Innovation) as well as receiving the applications and preparing the selection process.
• Maintain the Knowledge Community and prepare concepts for the integration of EnerDigit projects
• Further develop the digital cooperation platform EXPERA, particularly integrating and expanding project reporting functions on the platform
• Investigation of the potential development and integration work from JPP SES into the Clean Energy Transition partnership
• Start scoping for activities in 2022, particularly for the additional Joint Call

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

EnerDigit set a series of tangible results, which should be achieved by the end of the initiative in 2025:

• A Transnational Validation Ecosystem of 10 to 40 existing and upcoming living labs from 10-20 countries, allowing start-ups and innovative companies to test their solutions in different environments;

• A European Collaboration Platform for Interoperability Testing, providing a testing- support platform and organising at least two pilot “Connectathons16”, where companies from 10-20 countries will test their equipment and solutions.

• An Associated Partner Network of the 30 public funders together with 20-50 intermediaries towards local and regional business clusters, regional development and energy agencies, operators of public and private infrastructure like energy networks or buildings, digitalisation platform providers, start-up supporters, follow-up financiers and investors in 10-20 countries

• A Knowledge Community of more than 300 experts from at least 17 countries, involving practitioners and researchers from over 50 transnational, national and H2020/Horizon Europe projects, as well as policy makers and program managers, working together on the established digital Knowledge Platform expera

• 10-15 transnational RDD projects of differing scale resulting from the EC co-funded joint call in 2020, involving actors from various domains in digitalisation and energy (e. g. ICT, power, heat, agriculture, mobility) and spanning the development, piloting and demonstration phases and the actual implementation of innovative solutions. More projects will result from an additional joint call in 2023.

Innovations areas of the EnerDigit initiative