Periodic Reporting for period 3 - CREATORS (CREATing cOmmunity eneRgy Systems)
Berichtszeitraum: 2022-11-01 bis 2024-06-30
The CREATORS project will deliver the ICT and process tools to support the initiators and local service providers to Community Energy Systems (CES) in the outlining, design, and operation of professional and viable CES.
Europe’s policy foresees its energy system to become decentral, and decarbonized, and community led. Up to 45% of consumption is to be generated and managed locally. That energy market transition is in its infancy. In 2020, energy communities serve 0,1% of retail markets, across hundreds of small-scale projects. Perhaps a few dozen are 'advanced', with multiple user types, involving a mix of energy generation assets, actually transacting energy between users, and deploying professional governance and financing solutions. The ambition is to build upon these advanced projects lead by technology innovators, and enable CREATORS; the community initiators and specialist service providers that can bring an local idea and ambition to viable community investment project.
The principal objectives are:
* Demonstrate professional services for the whole life-cycle of CES development in 10 operational sites across the EU, safely integrating all existing energy vectors and enabling high consumer participation
* Enhance “commercial readiness” of CES by designing viable business models accepted and recognised by all stakeholder groups (investors, citizens, DSOs, community initiators)
* Unlock local RES generation (>60% consumed locally) and flexibility by empowering consumers & prosumers to contribute to local grid balancing and actively participate in the energy market
* Accelerate and increase the number of energy communities’ by creating a market pull effect
Europe’s policy foresees its energy system to become decentral, and decarbonized, and community led. Up to 45% of consumption is to be generated and managed locally. That energy market transition is in its infancy. In 2020, energy communities serve 0,1% of retail markets, across hundreds of small-scale projects. Perhaps a few dozen are 'advanced', with multiple user types, involving a mix of energy generation assets, actually transacting energy between users, and deploying professional governance and financing solutions. The ambition is to build upon these advanced projects lead by technology innovators, and enable CREATORS; the community initiators and specialist service providers that can bring an local idea and ambition to viable community investment project.
The principal objectives are:
* Demonstrate professional services for the whole life-cycle of CES development in 10 operational sites across the EU, safely integrating all existing energy vectors and enabling high consumer participation
* Enhance “commercial readiness” of CES by designing viable business models accepted and recognised by all stakeholder groups (investors, citizens, DSOs, community initiators)
* Unlock local RES generation (>60% consumed locally) and flexibility by empowering consumers & prosumers to contribute to local grid balancing and actively participate in the energy market
* Accelerate and increase the number of energy communities’ by creating a market pull effect
The Creators project has developed several tools which have been integrated in a CES-as-a-Service package. Implementation and validation has been performed in more than 20 pilot sites.
* Simulation Engine: Developed and applied the first version of the simulation engine to assess the feasibility and quantify the benefits of a Community Energy System
* Emulation Engine: Completion of the integrated system architecture plan for the Simulation and Emulation Platform, including the technical update requirements for integration with the Simulation Engine
* Financial: Identification of the core elements and processes for the development of standardised Community Energy Systems financing protocols
* Contractual: package of contractual template & reference documents prepared
* CESaaS:
• Define the CES-as-a-Service package and value proposition by combining and conceptually integrating the tools and services developed and advanced during the duration of the project within WP2, WP3 and WP4. CREATORS CESaaS can be thought of as a module-based and software-based model specialised for energy community projects that offers support to a customer in the whole lifecycle of an energy community project.
• Find 10 replication sites to become Tier 3 pilot sites of CREATORS, guide them through the whole Open Call process we defined and deliver 10 pre-feasibility studies with a technical, financial and governance analysis.
* Pilots:
• Implementation and operation of the CREATORS energy community in the four CORE ‘tier 1’ pilots sites, listed as Belgium (Temse), Slovenia (Jesenice), Estonia (Tartu) and Spain (Barcelona).
• Validation of the CREATORS SERVICES in operational ‘tier 1’ sites and validation of the CREATORS service package tool at six "follower" CES community energy systems (Tier 2) located in Bulgaria, Slovenia, France, Spain, and two in the Netherlands, specifically for those Followers sites which has the capacity to control remotely flexible assets under different market conditions. The diversity of assets, regulatory conditions, stakeholders, and energy flows at these sites enables the demonstration of the effectiveness of CREATORS services across various community energy models and under different market conditions.
• Digital twin models have been created with the simulation and emulation engine (SEE).
• Smart control of several smart assets such as charging stations, BESS (Battery Energy Storage Systems) and Heating and Cooling installations.
* Simulation Engine: Developed and applied the first version of the simulation engine to assess the feasibility and quantify the benefits of a Community Energy System
* Emulation Engine: Completion of the integrated system architecture plan for the Simulation and Emulation Platform, including the technical update requirements for integration with the Simulation Engine
* Financial: Identification of the core elements and processes for the development of standardised Community Energy Systems financing protocols
* Contractual: package of contractual template & reference documents prepared
* CESaaS:
• Define the CES-as-a-Service package and value proposition by combining and conceptually integrating the tools and services developed and advanced during the duration of the project within WP2, WP3 and WP4. CREATORS CESaaS can be thought of as a module-based and software-based model specialised for energy community projects that offers support to a customer in the whole lifecycle of an energy community project.
• Find 10 replication sites to become Tier 3 pilot sites of CREATORS, guide them through the whole Open Call process we defined and deliver 10 pre-feasibility studies with a technical, financial and governance analysis.
* Pilots:
• Implementation and operation of the CREATORS energy community in the four CORE ‘tier 1’ pilots sites, listed as Belgium (Temse), Slovenia (Jesenice), Estonia (Tartu) and Spain (Barcelona).
• Validation of the CREATORS SERVICES in operational ‘tier 1’ sites and validation of the CREATORS service package tool at six "follower" CES community energy systems (Tier 2) located in Bulgaria, Slovenia, France, Spain, and two in the Netherlands, specifically for those Followers sites which has the capacity to control remotely flexible assets under different market conditions. The diversity of assets, regulatory conditions, stakeholders, and energy flows at these sites enables the demonstration of the effectiveness of CREATORS services across various community energy models and under different market conditions.
• Digital twin models have been created with the simulation and emulation engine (SEE).
• Smart control of several smart assets such as charging stations, BESS (Battery Energy Storage Systems) and Heating and Cooling installations.
CREATORS has delivered the professional digital service solutions for the creation, development and operation of integrated energy communities. The solutions were demonstrated in 10 operational sites across Europe.
Local energy systems are often complex, encompassing hundreds of assets (participants), dozens of different asset types (generation technologies, storage, demand), and numerous markets with variable pricing for various services. Consequently, market services and practices have not yet been standardized, resulting in significant preparation (PREPEX), capital expenditure (CAPEX), and operational expenditure (OPEX) costs. CREATORS was primarily focused on technology development (digital twin/shadow), with an exploration of links to business cases, business models, and project development services.
CREATORS increased the viability of CES per main phase of its lifecycle; preparation, implementation, operation. Advancements in digital twin technology have demonstrated the ability to model and control various asset types and ranges within controlled pilot environments.. As a result, the CREATORS project achieved a measurable reduction in PREPEX and OPEX for simpler energy systems within controlled environments.
Energy communities must adapt to evolving regulatory frameworks, which can involve revising operational practices, updating compliance measures, and seizing new opportunities created by supportive legislation. However, unlocking local RES generation and flexibility in energy communities is very context sensitive and highly depends on the implementation environment. For example, in several pilots (Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3) more than 75% of generated electricity is consumed locally without any major problems. During the CREATORS project we have learned that in many EU regions, the regulatory environment does not sufficiently incentivize local generation and consumption. Current policy instruments do not properly reward consumers and prosumers for their contributions to grid stability or for generating their own energy.
The smart energy management algorithms can however run the CES in an optimal way. By organising different participants in a CES, the joint optimum will always exceed what could be achieved individually, thus the power of CES.
While working towards the project objectives, significant social impact on the community was reached by:
* Increasing competitiveness of the local industry by reducing 1) the dependency on the grid and energy imports 2) the exposure to volatile energy prices which might impact the business case
* Improving security of the energy supply: power outages costs for the industry and the local economy,
* Making green energy affordable and accessible to all consumer groups, including those that do not have the financial capacity to directly invest in renewable energy
* The solution of congestion issues and optimised balancing at local level unlock opportunities for the creation/expansion of new activities that otherwise could not be connected to the existing network
Local energy systems are often complex, encompassing hundreds of assets (participants), dozens of different asset types (generation technologies, storage, demand), and numerous markets with variable pricing for various services. Consequently, market services and practices have not yet been standardized, resulting in significant preparation (PREPEX), capital expenditure (CAPEX), and operational expenditure (OPEX) costs. CREATORS was primarily focused on technology development (digital twin/shadow), with an exploration of links to business cases, business models, and project development services.
CREATORS increased the viability of CES per main phase of its lifecycle; preparation, implementation, operation. Advancements in digital twin technology have demonstrated the ability to model and control various asset types and ranges within controlled pilot environments.. As a result, the CREATORS project achieved a measurable reduction in PREPEX and OPEX for simpler energy systems within controlled environments.
Energy communities must adapt to evolving regulatory frameworks, which can involve revising operational practices, updating compliance measures, and seizing new opportunities created by supportive legislation. However, unlocking local RES generation and flexibility in energy communities is very context sensitive and highly depends on the implementation environment. For example, in several pilots (Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3) more than 75% of generated electricity is consumed locally without any major problems. During the CREATORS project we have learned that in many EU regions, the regulatory environment does not sufficiently incentivize local generation and consumption. Current policy instruments do not properly reward consumers and prosumers for their contributions to grid stability or for generating their own energy.
The smart energy management algorithms can however run the CES in an optimal way. By organising different participants in a CES, the joint optimum will always exceed what could be achieved individually, thus the power of CES.
While working towards the project objectives, significant social impact on the community was reached by:
* Increasing competitiveness of the local industry by reducing 1) the dependency on the grid and energy imports 2) the exposure to volatile energy prices which might impact the business case
* Improving security of the energy supply: power outages costs for the industry and the local economy,
* Making green energy affordable and accessible to all consumer groups, including those that do not have the financial capacity to directly invest in renewable energy
* The solution of congestion issues and optimised balancing at local level unlock opportunities for the creation/expansion of new activities that otherwise could not be connected to the existing network