Workshop
OPENTUNITY’s 7th General Assembly in Oslo: A Step Forward in Energy Innovation
From June 11th to 12th, the OPENTUNITY consortium gathered in Oslo, Norway, for the 7th General Assembly — a key milestone to align on progress, refine technical strategies, and plan the path ahead. Hosted by project partner NODES, the meeting brought together all 21 partners for two days of in-depth discussions, hands-on collaboration, and stakeholder engagement.
Progress Across Pilot Sites
The meeting began with dedicated sessions from each of the four pilot sites — Slovenia, Greece, Spain, and Switzerland — where partners shared updates on citizen engagement actions, ongoing deployments, and the first insights from testing OPENTUNITY’s innovative tools.
From Slovenia, the University of Ljubljana highlighted ongoing smart energy management testing and their integration of HEMS and EV charging infrastructure. Greek partners HEDNO and IPTO reported progress in preparing the Mesogia region for flexibility trials. In Spain, ANELL and IMPULSA shared insights from the dual pilot zones in Santa Eulalia and Bigues i Riells, while Swiss partner AEM emphasized the role of local consumers in their urban pilot in Massagno.
Technical partners also presented the current status of test cases, showcasing how various OPENTUNITY tools — such as state estimation, flexibility forecasting, and interoperability modules — are coming together for real-world application.
Workshop with External DSOs and Flexibility Players
A highlight of the Oslo meeting was the External Workshop hosted on June 11th, which welcomed stakeholders from across the energy flexibility landscape. This interactive session aimed to connect OPENTUNITY’s research with real-world market experiences and featured contributions from:
- Flexia Consulting, who walked participants through the creation and scaling of the Swedish flexibility market Effekthandel Väst.
- Glitre Nett, who shared their day-to-day experience purchasing flexibility and integrating it into grid operations.
- Neowatt, an aggregator, who offered insights into the challenges and best practices from their role in enabling flexibility.
- Fingrid and Helen, who showcased coordination strategies between TSO and DSO levels through the Finnish FinFlex initiative.
This workshop proved invaluable in bridging the gap between research and market deployment, aligning well with OPENTUNITY’s vision to create scalable, interoperable, and user-focused solutions for the electricity ecosystem.
Next Steps for the Consortium
With the first project review successfully behind, partners are now focused on accelerating developments and preparing for field demonstrations. Key action points include:
- Finalizing technical deliverables for WP3 (Flexibility Solutions), WP4 (Grid Tools), and WP5 (Interoperability).
- Completing the definition of test cases with each pilot to ensure consistent validation across regions.
- Supporting pilot sites in deploying tools and engaging local citizens, ensuring communities are at the center of the transition.
- Advancing knowledge transfer and dissemination activities — including the upcoming submission of deliverables D8.3 and D8.5, and the creation of a collaborative video showcasing the full consortium.
- Each partner was also encouraged to revisit their exploitation strategies and explore opportunities for formal collaborations through MoUs (Memorandums of Understanding).
With strong momentum, OPENTUNITY continues to move from innovation to implementation — transforming flexibility, grid management, interoperability, and data exchange into actionable tools across Europe. The Oslo meeting reaffirmed our shared mission and strengthened the collaboration needed to deliver on the promise of a more flexible, resilient, and inclusive energy future.
OPENTUNITY's Participation in the European Week of Regions and Cities
The European Week of Regions and Cities, organized annually by the European Commission, is a four-day event where cities and regions showcase their ability to foster growth, create jobs, and implement the EU's cohesion policy. It also highlights the importance of local and regional governance for sustainable European growth. This year, OPENTUNITY's partner, JOANNEUM RESEARCH, took part in a significant workshop titled "Fostering the Uptake and Social Impact of the Energy Transition through Citizen Engagement", held on October 10.
Key Highlights from the Workshop
The workshop revealed several key insights that will shape the future of citizen engagement in the energy transition.
One of the most notable aspects was the high level of participation and the intense discussions that took place. This clearly demonstrated the eagerness of practitioners to better understand how to effectively involve citizens in the journey toward a more sustainable future. Another critical takeaway was the importance of early engagement. Bringing citizens into the fold from the beginning of energy projects ensures better alignment between community needs and project goals, improves mutual understanding, and enhances the overall impact of initiatives. Moreover, the workshop highlighted the value of showcasing success stories. There are already outstanding examples of effective citizen engagement in the energy transition, and sharing these experiences can serve as a valuable learning tool for others. By highlighting these success stories, the broader community can adopt best practices and continue to improve citizen participation in energy projects.
Conclusions and Next Steps
The workshop concluded with a consensus on the need for continued efforts to engage citizens early in the energy transition process. It was clear that practitioners are keen to collaborate and learn from successful examples, refining their approaches to include communities in meaningful ways. OPENTUNITY will continue to focus on promoting early citizen involvement and sharing successful case studies to drive the energy transition forward.
In conclusion, the participation of OPENTUNITY and JOANNEUM RESEARCH in the European Week of Regions and Cities underscored the critical role of citizen engagement in achieving a sustainable future. By fostering collaboration between stakeholders and communities, OPENTUNITY is contributing to the creation of energy solutions that not only meet environmental goals but also resonate with the people they impact.