Month: December 2025
AI Innovation from OPENTUNITY Takes the Stage at ENLIT 2025
At ENLIT Europe 2025, OPENTUNITY once again demonstrated its commitment to shaping the future of smart grid innovation. This year, the spotlight was on the work of Elektro Ljubljana, whose contribution showcased how artificial intelligence can dramatically improve reliability and performance in low-voltage distribution networks, an area where fault detection remains notoriously challenging.
The presentation, delivered by Dr. Klemen Nagode during the session “AI in Practice – Part 2”, offered an insightful look at a rapidly evolving field where data, algorithms, and operational expertise converge to strengthen tomorrow’s electricity distribution systems.
Bringing AI Into the Heart of Low-Voltage Operations
Unlike transmission grids, low-voltage networks are vast, complex, and traditionally less monitored, making it difficult for operators to quickly identify emerging issues. Faults such as bad neutral contacts, voltage anomalies, or early signs of component degradation often remain invisible until they escalate into service interruptions.
To tackle this, Elektro Ljubljana developed an AI-based anomaly detection system designed to uncover these hidden issues early on. The solution analyses a rich blend of data sources, smart meters, protection relays, historical fault records, and state estimators, to detect patterns that signal abnormal behaviour.
Behind the scenes, the team carried out extensive feature engineering, model training, and data validation, using advanced machine learning techniques such as weighted K-nearest neighbors with optimised parameters. The result is a system capable of identifying subtle anomalies with remarkable speed, supporting predictive maintenance and reducing operational uncertainty.
How OPENTUNITY Strengthens This Work
The development does not stand alone, it is actively supported by several tools created within the OPENTUNITY project. Among them:
- Fuse-burn detection modules offering early indicators of device or line distress
- Real-Time Thermal Rating (RTTR), enabling dynamic monitoring of conductor temperature and loading
- Failure forecasting tools, combining short-term and long-term risk modelling
- Advanced asset management systems, providing a structured view of network conditions
These components bring additional layers of insight to the anomaly detection framework, helping enrich datasets, refine machine learning models, and improve the robustness of the overall solution. This illustrates OPENTUNITY’s mission: to build interoperable, complementary tools that elevate grid management through digital intelligence.
A Human–Machine Partnership
One of the strongest points highlighted in the session was the importance of collaboration with field maintenance teams. Real-world verification of model predictions, by technicians working directly on the network, provided essential feedback, allowing the algorithms to evolve beyond theoretical accuracy and into practical, operational usefulness.
This iterative loop between AI systems and human expertise created a powerful validation mechanism, ensuring that the tool performs reliably in diverse, real-life scenarios.
Why This Matters for the Future of Grid Operations
This work marks an important step forward for European distribution system operators. By combining AI, operational data, and domain expertise, the approach significantly improves fault detection capabilities in low-voltage networks, historically one of the most difficult areas to monitor.
It also demonstrates the potential of the solutions being developed in OPENTUNITY: tools that are not only innovative but also applicable, scalable, and designed to support day-to-day decision making.
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OPENTUNITY Participates in the Energy Nexus Cluster Internal Workshop in Bilbao
On 17 November 2025, OPENTUNITY took part in the Energy Nexus Cluster Internal Workshop, a technical and highly collaborative event held in Bilbao (Spain) and hosted by Tecnalia. The workshop brought together representatives from several EU-funded, energy-related research and innovation projects, creating a unique forum to deepen discussions, exchange expertise, and explore shared challenges across the sector.
A Collaborative Space for Knowledge Exchange
The objective of the workshop was clear:
to connect experts from the scientific community and industry, enabling cross-project learning and joint reflection on today’s most pressing topics in the energy transition.
Participants engaged in dynamic sessions where insights from ongoing European projects were openly shared. The workshop’s structure encouraged not only the presentation of technical results but also active dialogue and debate, fostering a space where problems could be examined collectively and solutions co-created.
OPENTUNITY’s Contribution: Insights Through Presentation
ETRA, representing OPENTUNITY, contributed to the workshop through a dedicated presentation, offering an overview of the project’s approach, challenges, and ongoing achievements. The audience, composed of researchers, technology experts, and industry representatives, showed strong interest in OPENTUNITY’s work on grid flexibility, digitalisation tools, and AI-enabled solutions.
The relevance of the workshop topics to OPENTUNITY’s scope made the exchanges particularly valuable, feeding reflection on interoperability, scalability, and the practical deployment of innovative technologies.
Main Takeaways and Conclusions
One of the workshop’s defining features was its high level of participation and interaction. Rather than a sequence of monologues, the event evolved into a genuine knowledge-sharing forum, where each presentation sparked discussions, questions, and real collaborative thinking.
Key conclusions include:
- The event confirmed the importance of cross-project dialogue to align approaches and accelerate innovation.
- Discussions directly addressed themes crucial for OPENTUNITY, including digital tools for grid management, flexibility markets, and AI-driven optimisation.
- The workshop environment strengthened connections with other EU energy projects, opening doors for future synergies and cooperation opportunities.
Driving Innovation Together
The Energy Nexus Cluster Internal Workshop once again demonstrated the value of bringing together diverse actors working toward Europe’s clean energy objectives. For OPENTUNITY, it was an excellent opportunity not only to present ongoing progress but also to gather insights that will help shape the project’s next steps.
Through active participation and knowledge-sharing, OPENTUNITY continues to contribute to a more interconnected, innovative, and resilient European energy ecosystem.
OPENTUNITY Showcasing AI-Driven Innovations at Enlit Europe 2025
The OPENTUNITY project took part in Enlit Europe 2025, held from 18 to 20 November in Bilbao, Spain, joining one of the most important annual gatherings for the European energy community. As a leading event connecting policy-makers, DSOs, TSOs, researchers, technology providers, and innovators, Enlit offered the perfect stage for OPENTUNITY to present its progress and exchange insights with key stakeholders shaping the future of the energy transition.
Positioned in the EU Projects Zone, OPENTUNITY engaged with visitors at stand 5.F30–S02, sharing updates on the project’s technological developments, pilot activities, and the role of flexibility in enabling a more resilient and citizen-centric energy system.
Why Enlit Matters for OPENTUNITY
Participation in Enlit Europe is not merely a visibility exercise,it is a strategic opportunity to:
- show tangible progress on the technologies developed within the project,
- align with European policy priorities around digitalisation, flexibility and consumer empowerment,
- strengthen synergies with other EU-funded initiatives,
- and gather feedback from practitioners, system operators and industry leaders.
With the project entering its final operational phase, Enlit provided an ideal moment to demonstrate how the solutions developed over the past years are now being deployed and tested across Europe.
What OPENTUNITY Showcased at Enlit
At the stand, partners presented the 13 innovative technologies currently being integrated and demonstrated across the project’s four pilot sites in Spain, Switzerland, Slovenia, and Greece. These innovations revolve around:
- AI-powered state estimation and topology detection.
- Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring (NILM).
- Local flexibility markets and TSO-DSO coordination.
- Real-Time Thermal Rating and asset management tools.
- Building and Home Energy Management Systems (BEMS/HEMS).
- Data-sharing infrastructures for interoperable grid intelligence.
Visitors were able to explore how these technologies contribute to a more flexible, reliable, and consumer-engaged electricity system, one capable of addressing the growing complexity of distributed renewable generation, electrification, and variable demand patterns.
OPENTUNITY in the Enlit Conference Programme
In addition to the exhibition stand, OPENTUNITY was also featured in the conference sessions. The project delivered a presentation summarising its current status, innovations and expected impact, highlighting the following themes:
1. Physics-Informed Neural Networks for State Estimation
OPENTUNITY showed how AI models enriched with physical grid constraints can address traditional observability gaps, providing DSOs with more accurate, real-time insight into grid conditions.
2. Real-Time Topology Detection
The project demonstrated how physics-informed AI can identify unreported topology changes, an essential capability for maintaining reliable grid models and enhancing operational safety.
3. NILM for Enhanced Prosumer Engagement
The session explored how NILM algorithms can disaggregate consumption from smart meter data without additional hardware, enabling prosumers to understand their usage patterns and optimise behaviour.
4. Multi-Country Pilots Testing 13 Technologies
The presentation highlighted the uniqueness of OPENTUNITY’s four pilot environments—urban, rural, industrial and community-based—which together create a robust testbed for validating AI tools and flexible market architectures.
Key Takeaways Shared at Enlit
The session concluded with several key messages:
- AI-driven state estimation significantly enhances DSO capabilities by combining machine learning with power system physics.
- Topology detection powered by neural networks allows operators to correct grid records in real time.
- NILM provides scalable prosumer-level intelligence without requiring additional hardware, unlocking new services and engagement models.
- Diverse, multi-country pilot testing is fundamental to ensuring the scalability and robustness of new energy innovations.
Looking Ahead
With development completed and demonstration activities underway, OPENTUNITY is entering a decisive stage. The feedback and interactions generated at Enlit Europe 2025 strengthen the consortium’s ambition to deliver solutions that are not only technologically advanced, but also operationally relevant and aligned with Europe’s evolving energy landscape.
As the project moves towards 2026, the focus remains clear: deploy, validate, and pave the way for large-scale adoption of smart, AI-enabled flexibility and grid-management tools across Europe.
OPENTUNITY Completes Its Second Project Review in Granollers
The OPENTUNITY consortium recently met in Granollers (Spain) for its Second Review Meeting with the European Commission. This milestone marks an important step in evaluating the progress achieved over the past 16 months and preparing for the final phase of the project.
The review showcased substantial advancements in technology development, pilot deployment and flexibility market demonstration across Europe. The feedback from the European Commission was very positive, reinforcing the consortium's confidence in the relevance and quality of the work performed so far. At the same time, partners acknowledge that the upcoming months are crucial to complete all planned demonstrations and validate the project’s full potential.
A deep dive into the Spanish pilot
Alongside the review sessions, partners visited a key part of the Spanish pilot in Centelles, including a secondary substation that will host the Real-Time Thermal Rating (RTTR) demonstration.
During the visit, Anell presented:
- the origins and particularities of the local distribution grid,
- the industry characteristics of the region,
- and the societal importance of maintaining a reliable, modernised network.
Partners also reviewed the rationale for selecting the demonstration line, the expected benefits of deploying thermal sensors, and the adaptations required to test the innovative grid management tools developed within OPENTUNITY. This field visit provided valuable context and renewed motivation for all partners to continue supporting the energy transition at regional and local levels.
Pilot highlights: Four countries, one shared mission
The review dedicated a full session to the project’s four pilot sites, each demonstrating innovative solutions tailored to their local systems.
Greece: Coordinated Flexibility Procurement
HEDNO S.A. and IPTO showcased their coordinated approach using the NODES Flexibility Trading Platform, including a TSO-DSO coordination tool that ensures safe activation of flexibility across voltage levels.
Switzerland: Local Energy Community for Peak-Shaving
AEM SA demonstrated how flexibility from its local energy community is used to alleviate grid congestion during peak-demand hours.
Spain: Flexibility Orders and Grid Intelligence
Anell presented the use of ETRA’s grid analysis tools (ETER) to detect grid needs and generate flexibility requests submitted through the NODES platform.
Slovenia: User-Centric Energy Engagement
The Slovenian pilot, led by UL in collaboration with multiple partners, presented:
- ongoing citizen engagement campaigns,
- updated business models featuring concrete cost-benefit figures,
- and the steps toward full deployment of OPENTUNITY technologies, including flexibility algorithms and EV-related solutions.
Live demonstrations: Turning R&D into reality
A key part of the review was the demonstration of OPENTUNITY’s most advanced tools, including:
Optimal Market Selection Algorithm
Developed by Setup and partners, this tool identifies the most profitable market—or combination of markets—for deploying flexibility assets.
Optimal Flexibility Allocation Algorithm
A smart decision-making engine that distributes available flexibility across a portfolio of assets in a cost-efficient manner, preserving user comfort and respecting technical limits.
Real-Time Thermal Rating Demonstration
Using line sensors installed in Spain, the consortium demonstrated how dynamic thermal ratings can unlock additional capacity and reduce operational bottlenecks.
The Commission highlighted these innovations as high-impact contributions toward a more flexible, resilient and data-driven European energy system.
Entering the final phase of the project
With the review successfully closed, OPENTUNITY now moves into its final project phase, focusing on:
- completing all demonstrations across the four pilots,
- validating KPI improvements,
- ensuring interoperability across technologies, and
- preparing for large-scale replication of the most successful solutions.
The consortium remains committed to delivering meaningful, real-world impact and contributing to Europe's transition toward a future powered by flexibility, digitalisation and consumer empowerment.