Since its launch in November 2020, the HESTIA project has pursued its goal of transforming residential energy management through a combination of innovative technological tools, social science insights, and collaborative approaches. By engaging directly with residential consumers, the project developed demand-side response (DR) services designed to enhance energy flexibility, efficiency, and sustainability.
The project implemented and validated its solutions in three pilot sites across Europe—Voorhout in the Netherlands, Berchidda in Italy, and Camille Claudel in France. These sites provided diverse regulatory, infrastructural, and consumer contexts, enabling HESTIA to fine-tune its approach and demonstrate its potential across varying conditions.
Key results from the pilots underline the tangible impact of HESTIA's innovations:
• In Italy, a 9% reduction in grid energy imports and a 20% increase in self-consumption were achieved, underscoring improved energy independence.
• in the Netherlands, overall energy consumption dropped by 27%, with grid energy imports reduced by 12%, reflecting enhanced energy efficiency.
• In France, a 10% reduction in energy use during critical hours contributed to grid stability and increased energy awareness.
Across all pilots, CO2 emissions were reduced by 10%, contributing to EU climate goals, while households that fully engaged with the HESTIA platform reported a 10% increase in energy performance.
HESTIA’s success relied heavily on tailored user engagement strategies, which prioritized co-design and active involvement of residents at every stage. Engagement activities, such as workshops, focus groups, and hands-on demonstrations, were critical in ensuring that solutions were user-centric and accessible. These strategies not only fostered trust but also empowered participants to adopt new energy-saving behaviors and routines, as seen in pilot sites:
• In Berchidda, Italy, households embraced habits like shifting water heating to solar-optimized times, demonstrating enhanced energy literacy.
• In Voorhout, the Netherlands, residents reduced energy use during peak hours, improving grid stability and reducing reliance on imports.
• In Camille Claudel, France, participants adjusted their use of energy-intensive appliances, reinforcing the project's emphasis on behavioral change.
HESTIA’s innovative services included:
• A Consumer Behaviour Digital Twin for analyzing and predicting household responses to energy-saving strategies.
• Energy Demand and Production Forecasting Services to optimize household energy planning.
• A Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring Service, allowing users to track appliance-specific energy consumption without additional metering.
• An Open Flexibility Pooling Marketplace that promoted community energy trading for efficiency gains.
Dissemination and exploitation of results have been central to HESTIA’s strategy. By leveraging collaborations with sister projects like SENDER, ACCEPT, iFLEX, and REDREAM, HESTIA ensured the scalability and transferability of its solutions across Europe. Moreover, its active participation in the European Commission’s BRIDGE initiative has shaped policy discussions on energy flexibility, positioning HESTIA as a leader in consumer-centric energy innovations.
