energy ecosystem
OPENTUNITY Joins the Energy Nexus Cluster
We’re excited to announce that OPENTUNITY has officially joined the Energy Nexus Cluster, a dynamic collaboration platform bringing together cutting-edge EU-funded projects committed to shaping the future of the European energy system.
What is the Energy Nexus Cluster?
The Energy Nexus Cluster is an initiative that unites Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020 projects with a shared ambition: to drive the digitalisation, decarbonisation, and integration of energy systems across Europe. By fostering cross-project collaboration, the cluster aims to align technical developments, harmonise research outcomes, and jointly communicate the transformative impact of EU innovation on energy systems.
This cluster supports knowledge exchange, co-creation opportunities, and joint dissemination efforts across projects working on smart grid flexibility, data spaces, local energy communities, AI integration, and user-centric energy solutions.
Collaborative Projects with Shared Vision
The Energy Nexus Cluster brings together a diverse group of forward-looking European projects. RESONANCE focuses on facilitating interoperable data exchange and cross-sector services, while STREAM aims to enable real-time flexibility for smart grids. SENERGY NETS works on integrated energy networks for decarbonisation, and REEFLEX enhances grid stability with flexibility services. BEFLEXIBLE and ELEXIA both empower stakeholders with advanced demand-side flexibility tools and market mechanisms. ENFLATE demonstrates scalable flexibility services across Europe; GLOCALFLEX, addressing local energy flexibility markets and social engagement strategies, and INDEPENDENT designs intelligent systems for local energy management. GEOFLEXheat focuses on geothermal energy and flexibility, contributing to low-carbon heating solutions. Now, OPENTUNITY joins these initiatives, bringing its expertise in federated data spaces, local flexibility markets, and demand-side engagement to the cluster.
Why This Matters for OPENTUNITY
Joining the Energy Nexus Cluster marks a strategic step forward for OPENTUNITY. It strengthens our engagement with other key players in the European innovation landscape and:
- Amplifies the visibility and impact of our work across the EU energy research community.
- Enables synergies in areas such as standardisation, digitalisation, and flexibility market design.
- Facilitates collaborative opportunities for joint events, deliverable alignment, and policy dialogue.
- Ensures that the outcomes and innovations of OPENTUNITY can both contribute to and benefit from broader discussions shaping Europe’s energy transition.
As we work to develop scalable solutions for interoperable data spaces, local flexibility markets, and end-user empowerment, OPENTUNITY is proud to collaborate with likeminded projects through the Energy Nexus Cluster. Together, we’re building the future of Europe’s smart, green, and resilient energy system.
If you want to learn more about the Energy Nexus Cluster or join us in this collaborative group, you can find more information here: https://glocalflex.eu/energy-nexus/
OPENTUNITY at ECESCON 16: Engaging Next Generations of Engineers
From April 25–27, 2025, IPTO, one of the key partners of the OPENTUNITY project, took part in the 16th Electrical and Computer Engineering Student Conference (ECESCON) held in Thessaloniki, Greece. During the event, IPTO had the opportunity to introduce the OPENTUNITY project to a vibrant and dynamic audience of engineering students, presenting its goals, innovations, and potential impact on the future of the energy system.
ECESCON is the largest student-led conference in the field of electrical and computer engineering in Greece. Since its inception in 2007, it has become a well-established platform for sharing technological advancements, encouraging networking among students and professionals, and fostering the spirit of innovation. Organized annually by and for students, the conference travels to different cities across the country and attracts participants from all Greek engineering departments.
The conference offered a wide range of activities including lectures, workshops, research paper presentations, competitions, and career events.
As part of OPENTUNITY’s commitment to capacity building, education, and youth engagement, IPTO’s presence at ECESCON aimed to inspire the next generation of engineers and raise awareness of the importance of digitalisation, data exchange, and flexibility in the future energy system. Students learned how OPENTUNITY’s innovative tools—such as federated data exchange infrastructure and smart grid-user cooperation models—can help accelerate Europe’s green and digital energy transition.
OPENTUNITY’s participation also aligns with ECESCON’s broader objectives:
- Promoting collaboration between students, researchers, and industry professionals.
- Highlighting emerging technologies in critical areas such as flexibility, energy data, and smart grid management.
- Encouraging diversity in engineering and creating more inclusive learning spaces.
By joining events like ECESCON, OPENTUNITY continues to strengthen its links with academia and future talent, helping ensure the energy systems of tomorrow are shaped by innovative, well-informed, and engaged professionals.
OPENTUNITY and the Rise of AI in Energy
A new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), titled "Energy and AI", offers a comprehensive, data-driven analysis of how artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to reshape the global energy landscape. The report emphasizes both the transformative potential of AI and the energy challenges it may bring, particularly concerning the soaring electricity demand of data centers.
According to the IEA, the electricity demand from data centers could more than double by 2030, reaching 945 TWh—more than the current total electricity consumption of Japan. AI-optimized data centers are expected to account for the majority of this increase. In countries like the United States, data centers could drive nearly half of the projected electricity demand growth over the next five years.
Yet, while the rising energy consumption poses challenges, the report also highlights how AI can offer powerful solutions: reducing costs, enhancing system efficiency, increasing competitiveness, and lowering emissions. These insights align closely with OPENTUNITY’s mission.
What This Means for OPENTUNITY
The OPENTUNITY project is dedicated to designing and testing innovative energy solutions that promote digitalization, flexibility, and sustainability in the energy system. AI plays an increasingly important role in enabling smarter, data-driven decision-making across the energy value chain—from optimizing grid operations to empowering end-users to manage their consumption more efficiently.
Several OPENTUNITY innovations, such as federated data exchange frameworks, intelligent grid flexibility mechanisms, and user-centered energy management tools, are designed to not only accommodate but leverage AI technologies. As the IEA report points out, such technologies can help mitigate the growing demand of AI itself by improving the overall energy system’s efficiency and enabling cleaner energy integration.
Bridging Innovation and Infrastructure
A critical point in the IEA report is the urgent need for investment in generation and grid infrastructure to support AI’s rising electricity demand. This complements one of OPENTUNITY’s key areas of focus: enhancing grid flexibility and promoting better coordination between distribution system operators (DSOs), transmission system operators (TSOs), and end-users.
Through its pilot projects across Europe, including initiatives focused on smart grid management, local flexibility markets, and data sovereignty, OPENTUNITY directly contributes to the kind of systemic transformation the IEA envisions—where technology, policy, and infrastructure evolve together to unlock a sustainable energy future.
Looking Forward
The IEA also notes that the full potential of AI in the energy sector will require strong cooperation between policymakers, technology providers, and energy stakeholders. This spirit of collaboration is at the heart of the OPENTUNITY project, bringing together 21 partners from 9 countries to develop interoperable solutions that are scalable across Europe.
As AI becomes more deeply embedded in both scientific discovery and energy system operations, OPENTUNITY will continue to explore its role in accelerating clean energy innovation and ensuring that digital technologies remain aligned with Europe’s sustainability goals.
📄 Explore the full IEA report here: IEA Energy and AI Report
Want to learn how OPENTUNITY is preparing for an AI-driven energy future? Follow us for more updates.
OPENTUNITY's Network Planning Tool
Strategic planning of the distribution network is essential to efficiently integrate Renewable Energy Sources (RES), reduce costs, and ensure a secure grid operation. Traditionally, grid planning is based on expensive infrastructure expansion, which does not adapt to rapidly evolving flexibility markets or available flexibility resources.
New OPENTUNITY Network Planning Tool
Within the OPENTUNITY project, ICCS is developing an advanced Network Planning Tool that integrates best planning practices with novel research methodologies and very fast algorithms to address the challenges of modern distribution grids. The tool supports Distribution System Operators (DSOs) in making strategic and informed decisions by integrating sophisticated programming techniques such as Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) and Mixed-Integer Second-Order Cone Programming (MISOCP) for performing network planning, a fast power flow algorithm for critical scenario identification and timeseries clustering for scenarios extraction. Different objectives can be set, such as cost optimization, investments deferral, or maximizing RES capacity, allowing DSOs to quickly design and compare alternative investment options and operation scenarios.
A user interface provides graphical representations of key results. For example, in a cost optimization scenario (figure on the right side), the planning tool graphically represents the impact of strategic decisions, such as the optimal time to invest in infrastructure and its corresponding impact on power loss costs. The interface can alternatively illustrate scenarios with a focus on delaying expenditures, highlighting how strategic use of flexibility resources can defer costly investments (figure on the left side).
Power flow results can also be presented in all scenarios, e.g. for RES capacity maximization (Figure 3), identifying optimal locations and capacities of new RES power plants for given budgetary constraints. The tool ensures that RES capacity expansion is closely aligned with existing grid constraints. The computed RES capacity at each substation in this case is represented in map-based visualizations.
Driving Smarter EV Infrastructure: Avantcar and SETUP’s Data-Driven Journey
From Data to Insight: Understanding EV Charging Patterns
In collaboration with Kolektor SETUP, Avantcar embarked on a transformative software development initiative over the past nine months, revolutionizing the management and optimization of EV charging stations. This innovative project aimed to collect critical measurement data and develop baseline forecasts, laying the foundation for smarter, more sustainable energy management within Avantcar’s charging network.
At the start of 2024, SETUP delved into analyzing measurement data from Avantcar’s EV charging points, uncovering usage patterns that revealed key insights. During January and February, the team identified various EV charger types, conducted essential communication tests, and dissected data from a “typical week.” Peaks in charging activity were mapped to morning, midday, and afternoon hours, with distinct differences observed between workdays and non-workdays. This data served as the basis for evaluating the system's capacity to manage peak power demands effectively.
Figure 1: Example of data analysis of AVA’s charging points.
Forecasting the Future: Advanced Algorithms for Energy Management
The next phase advanced the project by leveraging sophisticated forecasting techniques. Using diverse features—including season, month, hour, workday/non-workday status, temperature, and precipitation—three advanced algorithms were tested: Random Forest Regressor, LightGBM, and Histogram-Based Gradient Boosting Regression Tree (HGBRT). All three achieved impressive results, with a ~5% normalized Mean Absolute Percentage Error (nMAPE). HGBRT emerged as the preferred model, thanks to its consistent accuracy and robust performance.
This collaboration underscores the power of data-driven insights in shaping the future of EV infrastructure. By integrating advanced analytics and predictive modeling, Avantcar and SETUP are not only enhancing energy efficiency but also paving the way for smarter, more reliable EV charging solutions that align with evolving consumer needs and environmental goals.
Figure 2: Avantcar fleet
Bridging Gaps in Digital Energy: A Talk with Every1
The shift to a digitalized and decarbonized energy system requires not only technological innovation but also a focus on inclusivity and capacity building for all stakeholders. The Every1 Project is at the forefront of this mission, working to empower diverse actors—ranging from energy communities and local authorities to market enablers—with the knowledge and tools they need to actively participate in the digital energy transition.
In an exclusive interview, the OPENTUNITY team explored Every1’s strategies, achievements, and vision for the future. From building networks that facilitate collaboration to creating tailored capacity-building materials, Every1 is shaping a more inclusive energy landscape. The conversation also revealed exciting synergies between the two projects and opportunities for joint activities to amplify societal impact.
Discover how Every1 is making digital energy innovation accessible for all and what it means for Europe’s energy transition in this insightful exchange.
An Interview with Every1 Project
What specific challenges or issues does Every1 focus on, and how does it aim to address them?
Every1 Project is an ambitious project aiming to enable an effective participation of all European stakeholders in the digital energy market.
The project starts from a deep data-informed understanding of energy communities, local authorities, cluster organisations and other stakeholders to map who they are, what they know about digital energy topics, how they use information and where they look for it. Our project team assesses and validates existing and emerging digital energy solutions and develops use cases to better understand what citizens and organisations need to know to take up a role in the new digital energy system that matches their potential. The evaluation of knowledge gaps is used to develop learning pathways that lead to the identification of the needed capacity building material. Parallel, Every1 has established a Market Enablers Network which facilitates the exchange of best practices with policy makers and energy market actors (Transmission System Operators (TSOs), Distribution System Operators (DSOs), and regulators), enabling discussions on barriers, and developing joint communication material for their peers.
What significant milestones has Every1 reached this 2024?
In 2024 the project focused on the material development through our ecosystem and market enablers networks. During our project’s first two years, we studied stakeholders and how they are networked in ecosystems. In parallel, we analysed the maturity and adoption of the existing digital energy tools within the European market. With these valuable insights, we are now able to produce capacity-building materials on the topics requested by and in collaboration with the different stakeholders. The production of these materials runs in cycles with testing and feedback loops. By the end of 2024, we will publish the first set of materials and push the uptake through the various ecosystems.
In terms of societal influence, how has Every1 contributed to its target communities, and what feedback have you received from beneficiaries?
The process of capacity building material development is based on continuous engagement with the involved actors and beneficiaries of these materials. We surveyed their needs in terms of topics -, level, format and return to them throughout the process for feedback. Based on this exchange we develop general materials but in addition tailormade learning materials are planned to respond to specific needs that may vary from one ecosystem to another across the European continent.
What role does collaboration play in Every1’s overall strategy, particularly in terms of working with other EU-funded initiatives?
Collaboration is key to Every1’s overall strategy. Every1 collaborates with other EU projects and initiatives that provide training, capacity building, and technical assistance. We organise joint events and regularly exchange best practices and learnings. Check out our Synergy Projects page to learn more about our network.
Both Every1 and OPENTUNITY are focused on promoting stakeholder engagement, flexibility, and innovation within Europe’s energy markets. How do you see Every1’s work complementing the goals of the OPENTUNITY project?
Both projects can leverage on each other networks and partners we’re interacting with to increase the uptake and ensure a wide spread of the developed capacity building materials.
The Market Enablers Network established in the Every1 project is meant to interact with other EU energy market actors to increase the adoption of flexibility products in support of the energy transition.
OPENTUNITY seeks to create accessible platforms and collaborative spaces. How do you think a joint activity between Every1 and OPENTUNITY could enhance our outreach and societal impact?
The ICN Solutions platform is used to bring the different EU energy market actors together, as an opportunity seeking and matchmaking platform. We can develop campaigns and challenges on specific topics to facilitate collaboration.
We love the idea! As our projects share a key partner (Joanneum Research), we are already closely aligned to better facilitate our outreach and joint activities.
How can projects like Every1 and OPENTUNITY collaborate to ensure long-term societal impact?
Let's share our projects’ learnings to as many people as possible. We’d also like to co-host a webinar with OPENTUNITY. Our “Mind the Gap” webinars aim to spread knowledge around digitalisation of energy services. We think that a webinar on the topic of Energy Flexibility would be a great option for both projects.
Are there any upcoming initiatives or strategies that you are particularly excited about?
Our first set of learning materials will soon be released and pushed through a massive online campaign. In Spring 2025, we expect the first version of our Learning Pathways Tool, which will take eager learners on a journey through the digital energy transition.
Which are your wishes for energy sector in 2025?
We hope that 2025 brings warm collaboration among the actors in the digital energy transition. We also hope to see more enthusiasm around innovation and knowledge sharing in digitalisation!
EU-funded projects collaboration
The synergies between Every1 and OPENTUNITY demonstrate the importance of shared goals and joint efforts in advancing societal impact. Together, projects like these can amplify outreach, drive innovation, and create meaningful change in Europe’s energy landscape. As we look toward the future, continued collaboration and knowledge-sharing will remain essential for realizing the full potential of the energy transition.
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.