FLEXCOOP - Circe

FLEXCOOP - Democratizing energy markets through the introduction of innovative flexibility-based demand response tools and novel business and market models for energy cooperatives

Dates: October 2017 – September 2020
Project web: http://www.flexcoop.eu/
Leader: HYPERTECH
Grant agreement number: 773909
Financed by

DESCRIPTION

FLEXCoop introduces an end-to-end Automated Demand Response Optimization Framework. Optimization in FLEXCoop applies to multiple levels. It spans local generation output, demand and storage flexibility, as well as the flexibility offered by Electric Vehicles to facilitate maximum renewable energy sources integration into the grid, avoidance of curtailment and satisfaction of balancing and ancillary grid needs.

By means of FLEXcoop, users will become an active part of the electric grid. With the new flexibility scheme regarding energy consumption, they will be able to save energy and benefit of better prices and discounts, and access to an impartial payment system for their contribution to the grid.
Specifically for energy services companies, the project will develop new business models, allowing energy cooperativas to create new innovative services for the prosumers, and introduce themselves in energy markets under the role of an aggregator.

OBJETIVES

FLEXcoop aims to develop the necessary tools to provide users a higher flexibility in their energy consumption, and new business models to the energy services companies.
This goal will be achieved through the following specific objectives:

Safeguard distribution grid reliability and the transition to a more fossil-free energy future through explicit automated demand response strategies on the basis of aggregated flexibility utilization
Enable intelligence enhancement of Smart Home Systems with the integration of ICT-enabled human-centric DR optimization and the provision of innovative services to prosumers
Democratizing energy markets, through the introduction of residential prosumers as active players in energy markets and the transparent sharing of benefits achieved between the stakeholders involved
Deliver open standards-based modular solution that ensures end-to-end interoperability between smart grids, energy management systems and smart home devices and holds a high replication potential around the EU
Tackle major market entry barriers for prosumers with the introduction of suitable business models for energy cooperatives
Promote the adoption of the FLEXCoop solutions as a next-generation demand response optimization framework through intense dissemination and knowledge transfer of the project’s outcomes towards the targeted stakeholder, reaching out the interaction audiences within and beyond the EU.

CIRCE´s ROLE

CIRCE will lead the definition of the use case and stakeholder requirements as well as the system architecture design.
CIRCE will also contribute to the Demand Flexibility Modelling and Forecasting defining and developing the DER modelling and forecasting algorithms, the dynamic thermal modelling of buildings and energy storage specifications and the EV flexibility profiling models.

Concerning the business, dissemination and knowledge transfer objectives of the project, CIRCE will provide key contributions in a number of activities including:The definition and development of the DER modelling and forecasting algorithms.
As well as of the activities above, CIRCE will facilitate the project validation activities using its Real-Time Distribution Grid simulator.