ebalance-plus

The ebalance+ project aims to (a) increase the energy flexibility of distribution grids, (b) predict the available flexibility, (c) increase the distribution electricity grid resilience and (d) design and test new ancillary models to promote new markets based on energy flexibility. These objectives allow unlocking the energy flexibility market in distribution grids to support energy end-users (prosumers), exploitation managers of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) and energy operators (e.g. energy aggregators and DSOs) with tailored end-user’s interfaces.

The concept is based on the outcomes of a previous European FP7 R&D project (e-balance GA #609132) which developed an energy balancing platform, tested in 43 neighbour households with smart appliances and PV power inverters. In ebalance+, the energy balancing platform will control a variety of technologies (developed during the project) with the goal of increasing the energy flexibility with enhanced prediction algorithms installed in every MU.

The technologies developed include: electric smart-storage at building and district level, V2G systems with local DC networks and SiC power inverters, power to heat, management of PV power inverters, regulation of CHP and management of appliances/devices with IoT-based systems. In addition, the MU at distribution grid level will be equipped with smart-grid technologies to increase the grid observability and manage the available flexibility from lower domains in order to increase the distribution grid resilience under critical events.

Energy end-users (prosumers), exploitation managers of distributed energy resources (DER), energy aggregators and DSO will access to the MU by tailored user interfaces to create an effective energy flexibility market with new ancillary models, which will be proposed and simulated to extend the potential to TSO domain. The ebalance+ solutions are developed and tested in four real life pilots (in Spain, Italy, France and Denmark) with specific prototypes and objectives to be demonstrated with the support and feedback of electricity operators. In addition, use cases related to critical conditions that entail safety and security are tested in the in-Lab demo (IHP premises in Germany).

The role of CEMOSA is related to the following activities and duties:

• Project management, including innovation management and cooperation with BRIDGE initiative.
• Definition of use cases.
• Development of energy balancing algorithms at grid level to unlock hidden flexibility.
• Pilots characterization and evaluation methodology.
• Impact assessment and evaluation of results.