Decarbonisation through digitisation: Launch of the new Horizon Europe ENFLATE Project

Wednsday 14, 2022

To address the adverse effects of climate change and adhere to the global climate action initiative under the Paris Agreement, the EU aims to be climate-neutral by 2050 – an economy with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. This requires the decarbonisation of the energy system, encouraging the electrification of heat and transport, as well as the connection of more clean but intermittent electricity production.

The implementation of “smart grids” – electrical grids that monitor and adapt power flows from production to usage – must proceed rapidly in order to reach these targets, allowing for the balancing of energy supply and demand. The Horizon Europe ENFLATE project therefore aims to build upon already existing solutions on data-driven, optimised energy and data flow, and replicate these solutions in different contexts and given varying consumer needs. In this context, the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH) is responsible, amongst others, for power system simulations as well as non-energy services for healthcare and mobility. For this purpose, CERTH/CPERI and CERTH/ITI shall cooperate, using platforms, algorithms and experience gathered from previous Horizon projects.

On 14-15^th September 2022, the 30 partners of the Horizon Europe ENFLATE project consortium convened in Athens, Greece for the official launch of the four-year project. The consortium is comprised by partners from Greece, Belgium, Germany, France, Spain, Sweden, Bulgaria, and Switzerland, who are committed to proposing and piloting consumer-centred data exchange platforms on a large scale. The kick-off meeting was hosted and moderated by event organisers and moderators: Mr. Anastasis Tzoumpas, UBITECH Energy (BE), Ms. Louiza Kachrimani, NOVA (GR), and Dr. Ioannis Markopoulos, NOVA (GR).

In a nutshell, ENFLATE is targeting the shared use of renewable energy sources and higher penetration of clean energies in power systems, whilst reducing network operational costs and increasing the financial gain. Ultimately, ENFLATE shall deliver the means for effective control of power exchange on the regional, national and EU level, improving communication among distributed energy sources, and stimulating the sustainable development of new multi-sectoral business models harnessing the participation of consumers/prosumers in cost-effective power trading.

ENFLATE is partly financed by the European Commission through its Research and Innovation Programme, Horizon Europe, with the amount of €7,686,305.00 and shall be implemented with a total budget of €14,314,162.00.