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.