The energy sector has entered a period of major change which will continue for many years to come. The increasing proportion of electricity from renewable sources means that the architecture of the energy grid will have to support the distributed, in addition to the centralised, generation of energy and to adapt to a highly volatile supply e.g. from wind and solar generators. From the consumption perspective, electric vehicles will demand new load management patterns in the grids. At the same time, private and commercial consumers are being encouraged to reduce their energy use and electronics manufacturers are striving to reduce the energy use of their products. The energy supply will need to evolve into a dynamic system to provide the smart energy infrastructure needed to support society in 2020 and beyond.
Future Internet technologies will play a critical role in the development of Smart Energy infrastructures, enabling new functionality while reducing costs. In the FINSENY project, key actors from the ICT and energy sectors will team-up to identify the ICT requirements of Smart Energy Systems. This will lead to the definition of new solutions and standards, verified in a large scale pan-European Smart Energy trial. Project results will contribute to the emergence of a sustainable Smart Energy infrastructure, based on new products and services, to the benefit of all European citizens and the environment.
As part of the FI-PPP programme, FINSENY will intensively analyse energy-specific requirements together with the other FI-PPP projects, develop solutions to address these requirements, and prepare for a Smart Energy trial in phase two of the programme. The growing FINSENY Smart Grid Stakeholder Group will provide broad visibility of the on-going project work in the energy community, enhancing the acceptability of the project results and facilitating the development of the smart energy market.