ebalance-plus: Power sector resilience solutions

The ebalance-plus project aims to increase the energy flexibility of distribution grids. The core of the project is the development of a comprehensive ICT communication platform where different electric grid players and operators (prosumers, DER exploitation managers, energy aggregators and DSOs) can deal with the available flexibility to increase the grid stability and security. It delivers flexibility mechanisms & energy efficiency services.

The following flexibility solutions are integrated in the platform and developed and tested in the project: electric storage, V2G systems, SiC power inverters, power to heat, control of CHP and management of building devices with IoT-based systems.

During these almost four years genuine hardware elements have been developed that can be exploited in future smart grids:

• Batteries behind the meter to unlock flexibility for those buildings where existing systems cannot provide relevant flexibility to the system.
• Grid Tied Inverter with high-efficiency silicon carbide semiconductors to unify the integration of photovoltaics, storage and electric vehicle charging points.
• V2G DC/DC charging points that allow direct integration into DC systems.
• Edge devices to deploy distributed and coordinated services (at Fog and Cloud level) to manage and aggregate customers and enable aggregators and DSOs to access customer flexibility for their own benefit.
• Integration of a new smart dishwasher model (donated by Teka) for domestic load management.
• Development of a laboratory demo to simulate critical conditions in multiple electric grid configurations and their transmission and distribution lines.
• Integration of air conditioning systems through its energy management systems to transform thermal inertia into electrical flexibility.

In addition, the following software elements have been developed and demonstrated and deployed hierarchically on the project platform:

• Energy balance algorithms and services for the management of all common energy assets (consumption, storage and generation).
• API for aggregators and DSOs to access and activate consumers' energy flexibility.
• Residential energy management algorithms (smart plugs, appliances, batteries...).
• Algorithms for managing electric charging point hubs equipped with photovoltaics and storage for future European decarbonisation.
• Energy management algorithms using swimming pools as thermal storage and water heaters for flexibility management.
• Two mobile apps to manage V2G charging and residential environments.

The solutions are being demonstrated in five demo sites: University of Málaga (Spain), University of Calabria (Italy), JUNIA (France), Residential District (Denmark) and in-lab demo (Germany),

The final event of the project will take place at ENLIT 2023 in Paris on 29 November and we look forward to seeing you there!

Useful links:

Project video

Demo at Lille

Serious Board game

CORDIS project Fact Sheet