UBITECH ENERGY kicks off the TIGON Innovation Action on Intelligent DC-based hybrid Grids

UBITECH ENERGY participates in the virtual kick-off meeting, hosted by CIRCE (September 22, 2020), of the TIGON Innovation Action, officially started on September 1st, 2020. The project is funded by European Commission under Horizon 2020 Programme (Grant Agreement No. 957769) and spans on the period September 2020 – August 2024. The TIGON project aims to enable a smooth deployment and integration of intelligent DC-based grid architectures within the current energy system, while providing ancillary services to the main network. To do so, TIGON proposes a four-level approach aiming at improving (1) Reliability, (2) Resilience (3) Performance, and (4) Cost Efficiency of hybrid grids through the development of an innovative portfolio of power electronic solutions and software systems and tools focused on the efficient monitoring, control and management of DC grids. These solutions will be demonstrated in two main Demo-Sites located in France and Spain.

 

TIGON has been conceived as a demonstration project for realizing about the potential of DC-grids in this new energy paradigm. To this end, main TIGON demo-sites rely on the integration of a high share of RES in MVDC and LVDC and their interaction with different AC and DC loads such as electric vehicles (EV) and energy storage systems (ESS), not only reducing energy losses but also optimizing the overall control and operation of the grid in a cost-effective and seamless manner. Main innovations within TIGON project will include smart transformers, innovative DC/DC converter topologies, PE for MVDC connection and DC protection systems. These developments will be supported by an adequate framework composed by modelling, simulation, control, optimization of generation and loads and security analysis activities. Only in this way will be TIGON able to demonstrate a comprehensive solution for DC-based hybrid grids that generates confidence on the market and lays down the foundations for their replication throughout the EU.

Within TIGON, UBITECH ENERGY designs and develops the Cybersecurity Defence System for the TIGON software-based monitoring, control and energy management applications, adhering to the latest Commission recommendations on cybersecurity in the energy sector of 3.4.2019 (C(2019) 2400 final), which strongly emphasize on cyber-resilience as a priority for energy network operators and technology suppliers. In particular, UBITECH ENERGY implements a fast, distributed security framework that intelligently incorporates the physical state of the defended system and blocks incorrect operation actions, incorporating detection of adversarial manipulation by cross-checking commands and configuration changes for consistency with the physical state of the system, while being deployable and interoperable with communication standards, specifying the threat models facing the DC and AC/DC hybrid grids and developing the relative defence mechanisms, realizing a complete implementation plan for cyber-resilience, including Vulnerability Assessment, Security Behaviour analysis, Anomaly Detection, Security Information and Event Management – focusing mostly on Data Integrity Attack scenarios, affecting horizontally all TIGON software-based tools for monitoring, control and energy management services.

FARCROSS first newsletter is now out and fresh

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UBITECH ENERGY kicks off Fresco project

UBITECH ENERGY participated in the virtual kick-off meeting, hosted by CIRCE (June 10, 2020), of the frESCO Innovation Action, which has officially started on June 1st, 2020. The project is funded by European Commission under Horizon 2020 Programme (Grant Agreement No. 893857) and spans on the period June 2020 – November 2023. The vision of the frESCO project to engage with ESCOs and aggregators and enable the deployment of innovative business models, on the basis of novel energy and integrated energy service bundles that properly combine and remunerate local flexibility for optimizing local energy performance both in the form of energy efficiency (energy savings) and demand side management (demand response). Such new service and business models will bring under common Pay for Performance Contracts (extended form of current EPCs) two currently differentiated service offerings to enable the realization of next-generation smart energy service packages.

The frESCO service packages will combine moderate retrofitting services (smart equipment for data collection and remote/ automated control) with energy efficiency, distributed energy resources (generation and storage) with self-consumption optimization schemes and smart home automation with the provision of balancing and ancillary services to the grid (under the form of demand response), to engage residential consumers in energy efficiency/ grid optimization activity through integrated and tailor-made packages addressing different customer groups, their unique needs and preferences, without overlooking important aspects of the modern citizens demand for comfort and well-being (human-centric energy optimization).

Within frESCO, UBITECH ENERGY will actively participate in WP3, supporting CIRCE and CARTIF in the definition of the novel business models and frESCO service bundles and its validation in a simulation environment, respectively. Moreover, UBE will build on its expertise as SW tools developer for the energy sector in WP5, working closely with WP leader UBITECH and the module developers, particularly for the Advanced Performance Monitoring/ Forecasting Module for Generation/ Storage/ Demand Assets.

UBITECH Group undertakes the coordination and the technical leadership of the FARCROSS Innovation Action on regional cross-border electricity transmission

UBITECH and UBITECH ENERGY are hosting the kick-off meeting, in Athens, Greece (October 23-24, 2019), of the FARCROSS project, officially started on October  1st, 2019. The project is funded by European Commission under Horizon 2020 Programme (Grant Agreement No 864274) and spans on the period October 2019 – September 2023. The FARCROSS project intends to connect major stakeholders of the energy value chain and demonstrate integrated hardware and software solutions that will facilitate the “unlocking” of the resources for the cross-border electricity flows and regional cooperation. The project will promote state-of-the art technologies to enhance the exploitation/capacity/efficiency of transmission grid assets, either on the generation or the transmission level. The hardware and software solutions will increase grid observability to facilitate system operations at a regional level, exploit the full potential of transmission corridors for increased electricity flows that will facilitate transition to flow-based regional market coupling; consider cross-border connections and their specific ICT and grid infrastructure; use a wide-area protection approach to ensure the safe integration of renewable energy sources into the grid; mitigate disturbances; increase power system stability.

 

In particular, an innovative regional forecasting platform will be demonstrated for improved prognosis of renewable generation and demand response and a capacity reserves optimization tool will be tested to maximize cross-border flows. The non-harmonization of national regulation will be studied, and measures will be recommended to avoid distortion of the technology benefits. FARCROSS will employ technological innovations -as described below- to bring forward the additional benefits gained by increasing interconnectivity between neighbouring systems that strongly align with EU vision and policy, and most importantly to:

  1. Successfully integrate large amounts of renewable generation. These resources are intermittent and there are advantages to geographic dispersion. FARCROSS proposed solutions can be used to increase cross-border flows allowing other countries from importing clean energy and to maximise EU-wide renewable generation.
  2. Reduce the need to build new infrastructure by first optimising the existing network, whereas at the same time to achieve reduced environmental impact compared to alternative options and minimise total costs to customers.
  3. Shorten connection lead-times, as FARCROSS solutions can be installed in relatively short timeframes, can minimise the grid modifications needed to integrate new sources of generation or serve as a bridge solution.

Furthermore, FARCROSS’s mains objectives can be categorised in six different sections:

  1. To test the state-of-the-art digital technologies, installed on the power grid and communication infrastructure, such as power flow controllers(MPFC), dynamic line rating sensing systems (DLR)  and wide-area monitoring systems (WAMS), for optimally exploiting and maximising the capacity and security of transmission corridors.
  2. To develop and introduce advanced software solutions, including capacity allocation and reserve optimisation tools, as well as an advanced forecasting of energy production and demand response platform, to increase the cross-border capacity and the potential of cross-border grid services.
  3. To design and propose a robust set of technical and market codes(pathways) that would enable the building up of the harmonisation of the network codes, and subsequently to the integration of national electricity markets -possibly via a regional route.
  4. To design and present a cost-benefit analysis (CBA), based on the outcomes and lessons learnt from the project implementations and demonstrations, to enhance the planning of cross-border infrastructure investments.
  5. To demonstrate the aforementioned hardware and software technologies and relevant concepts in realistic environments; the FARCROSS project engages TSOs and energy producers in 8 countries (Austria, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania), focusing on illustrating specific functions and serving real need and existing challenges, engaging different actors of the energy value chain.
  6. To facilitate further research and new market opportunities across the energy industry by ensuring an efficient dissemination of the FARCROSS outcomes to key stakeholders

Within FARCROSS, UBITECH has the project coordination, overviewing all the activities taking place throughout the whole duration of the project, while UBITECH ENERGY has the central role in the project for the technical topics. UBITECH ENERGY has the  technical coordination, overviewing all the activities taking place throughout the whole duration of the project. It will coordinate closely with the WP leaders in order to fulfil the technical and business objectives of FARCROSS as well as overcome any challenges being faced during the implementation of the project plan. It will be responsible for the quality assurance of the work being delivered by the project participants, mitigate any risks, find solutions to any problems among partners and in general keep the project plan on track. Finally, UBITECH ENERGY will contribute in the cost benefit analysis, the evaluation, exploitation and dissemination of projects results and finally in the scalability and replicability plans at EU level.