Consumers and Citizens Engagement
OPENTUNITY Joins EUSEW 2025 to Showcase Innovation in Energy Flexibility
We are thrilled to announce that OPENTUNITY will be present at the EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) 2025, the EU’s flagship event on renewables and energy efficiency. This year’s edition takes place in Brussels, gathering energy stakeholders from across Europe to discuss policies, trends, and innovations shaping a sustainable energy future.
You can find us at Booth C5, 2nd Floor of the Charlemagne Building, where we will be presenting the latest advances from our project and engaging with other key players in the energy transition.
At EUSEW, OPENTUNITY will showcase its integrated approach to unlocking flexibility across the energy system through its four core pillars:
- OPENFLEX: enabling consumers and prosumers to offer flexibility through smart home/building tools, with live pilot testing underway in Slovenia, Spain, Greece and Switzerland. Recent progress includes the integration of EV charging infrastructure and HEMS/BEMS platforms, as well as the development of AI models for flexibility forecasting.
- OPENGRID: supporting DSOs and TSOs with innovative grid management solutions. Among the tools currently being validated in all four pilot countries is our State Estimation module — designed for improved real-time grid visibility — and low-cost thermal rating tools that optimize asset usage.
- OPENSPACE: building a Federated Data Exchange Infrastructure. We have recently achieved a major milestone with the completion of the architectural foundation and Proof-of-Concepts for trusted data sharing services.
- OPENABILITY: promoting interoperability through alignment with European standards. The updated Standardization Action Plan provides a clear roadmap for OPENTUNITY’s contributions to ongoing regulatory and technical standardisation efforts.
Our participation in EUSEW is more than just an exhibition — it’s a step toward reinforcing OPENTUNITY’s role in Europe's digital and sustainable energy transformation. Come meet us at the EUSEW to learn how we are building scalable, replicable and interoperable solutions that empower energy actors across Europe.
Join us at Booth C5 and discover how OPENTUNITY is helping to shape the flexible energy system of tomorrow.
OPENTUNITY at the BRIDGE General Assembly 2025
OPENTUNITY is proud to participate in the BRIDGE General Assembly 2025, an essential gathering that brings together key players from EU-funded projects in the fields of smart grids, energy storage, islands, and digitalization. This annual event serves as a platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and strategic alignment to accelerate the European energy transition.
What is BRIDGE?
BRIDGE is an initiative by the European Commission that unites Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe projects working on smart grids, demand response, energy communities, and digitalization. By fostering collaboration between projects, BRIDGE helps create a coherent regulatory, technical, and market framework that supports innovation and integration across the European energy landscape.
Through dedicated working groups and task forces, BRIDGE facilitates discussion on key topics such as:
- Regulatory framework for new market models.
- Data management and interoperability in digitalized energy systems.
- Business models for flexibility and storage services.
- Consumer and citizen engagement strategies.
The BRIDGE General Assembly: Objectives and Key Discussions
The BRIDGE General Assembly is a key event that brings together all participating projects to:
- Share project results and best practices.
- Discuss policy and regulatory developments impacting the energy transition.
- Align efforts across projects to maximize impact.
- Identify synergies between different initiatives.
This year’s assembly focused on scaling up innovative solutions and reinforcing the role of digitalization and flexibility markets in achieving Europe’s clean energy goals.
Why OPENTUNITY’s Participation Matters
OPENTUNITY is committed to contributing to BRIDGE by sharing insights from our work on flexibility markets, data-driven grid management, and citizen engagement. Our participation allows us to:
- Showcase how OPENTUNITY innovations support DSO-TSO coordination and local flexibility markets.
- Exchange expertise on interoperability, data spaces, and digital energy platforms.
- Strengthen partnerships with other EU-funded projects and stakeholders.
- Influence the policy and regulatory discussions shaping the future of the European energy system.
Looking ahead
Engagement in BRIDGE activities is crucial for ensuring that the solutions developed in OPENTUNITY align with broader European objectives and remain at the forefront of energy system transformation.
Engaging Citizens in the Greek Pilot Site
As part of its citizen engagement strategy, HEDNO, the leader of the Greek Pilot within the OPENTUNITY project, has developed a preliminary registration form for users interested in participating. This initiative aims to gather valuable insights from potential participants while fostering a deeper connection between citizens and the project.
Preliminary Registration and Initial Findings
The registration form was designed to collect essential user information, including:
- First Name
- Last Name
- City
- Phone Number
- Consent to receive informational material on the development of the Greek Pilot
- Interest in volunteering for technologies developed within the project
Initially, the form was shared with individuals familiar with OPENTUNITY for preliminary feedback. The results indicated that while users were open to receiving updates on the project, many were hesitant to volunteer for direct participation in the network operation tools. This reluctance was expected, as there were no clearly defined incentives for participation.
Addressing Participation Barriers: Refining the Approach
To better understand user motivations and encourage greater involvement, the form was updated with an additional question:
“Which of the following incentives would encourage you to voluntarily participate in the technologies developed in OPENTUNITY?”
The multiple-choice options included:
A. Improvement of environmental footprint
B. Smoother operation of the grid
C. Benefits from participating as a flexibility service provider
D. None of the above
E. Other (please specify)
By incorporating this question, HEDNO aims to gain deeper insights into what drives user engagement and how best to align OPENTUNITY’s offerings with citizen expectations. The responses to this refined questionnaire will help shape future outreach efforts and improve participation rates.
Next Steps and Participation
The updated registration form remains available for new users to express their interest and provide feedback. OPENTUNITY is committed to fostering an inclusive and engaging experience for citizens, ensuring that participation in the Greek Pilot is both beneficial and impactful for all involved.
Stay tuned for further updates as we continue to refine our approach and enhance citizen involvement in OPENTUNITY!
OPENTUNITY participates in the BRIDGE General Assembly 2024
OPENTUNITY participates in the BRIDGE General Assembly 2024
12/04/2024
The BRIDGE General Assembly of 2024 convened on April 9th and 10th, embracing a hybrid format with sessions held both in Brussels and streamed online. Among the participants were representatives from the OPENTUNITY project, namely partners Joanneum Research and ETRA, actively participating in the session of the Working Group on Consumers and Citizens Engagement.
Throughout the assembly, participants were enriched with insights into the accomplishments of the BRIDGE Working Groups during the 2023-2024 term, delving into the invaluable lessons learned from completed BRIDGE projects and exploring various initiatives shaping the energy landscape. Engaging discussions ensued, examining avenues for enhancing the BRIDGE initiative and addressing cross-Working Group concerns.
Central to the discourse were the European Commission’s aspirations for fostering a competitive European industry, with particular emphasis on modernizing the grid to align with the demands of a dynamic energy ecosystem and advancing the development of artificial intelligence applications.
Looking ahead, the Consumer and Citizen Engagement Working Group is poised to intensify its focus on Energy Communities, and broaden stakeholder engagement beyond consumers and citizens to encompass regulators, aggregators, TSOs, DSOs, and others, while prioritizing inclusivity in user engagement efforts.
Meanwhile, the Data Management Working Group is forging ahead with the establishment and expansion of a comprehensive use-case repository, emphasizing practical tools, and refining the Reference Framework to bolster interoperability among home applications.
Similarly, the Business Models Working Group is redoubling its efforts on knowledge sharing within its domain and contributing to the development of the Common European Data space.
Lastly, the Regulations Working Group is capitalising on synergies with ETIP SNET/ISGAN, fostering closer collaboration among BRIDGE Working Groups, and aligning with ongoing policy initiatives through enhanced coordination efforts.