Launched in September 2024, the U2DEMO project celebrated its inaugural event appearance by participating in Enlit Europe, one of Europe’s largest energy conferences and exhibitions, held from October 22 to 24 in Milan, Italy. This record-breaking edition attracted over 15,000 energy professionals, offering a privileged platform for U2DEMO to be disclosed to a broader audience.
With over 200 sessions and 500 speakers, and with U2DEMO taking part in two, the project was able to shed light into the project’s 42 months journey focused on developing open-source tools and solutions to advance energy communities.
Over three intensive days, visitors had the chance to connect with the project’s coordination team: Ana Rita Nunes, Project Manager at INESC ID, and Hugo Morais, U2DEMO Coordinator. Both were available at the INESC ID stand in the EU Projects Zone, discussing the project’s mission and progress.
On the first day, several U2DEMO partners visited the booth in the EU Projects Zone. Nicolò Rossetto from the European University Institute (EUI) joined the team at the booth, engaging with visitors and sharing insights about the project. Jonathan Ambrogi from EnGreen also stopped by, reinforcing the strong collaborative network driving U2DEMO.
On the second day, U2DEMO took center stage at the “Technologies for Consumers” session, held at 2 pm in the EU Projects Zone Hub. The session aimed to shed light on technologies that empower consumers to manage their energy use more effectively, save money, and take control of their energy data.
Moderated by Helena Gerard, Senior Researcher at U2DEMO partner Institute EnergyVille/VITO, the session focused on topics like demand response, smart appliances, smart metering, and managing peak loads in heating and cooling. The panel was a chance to emphasize U2DEMO’s commitment to advancing consumer-centric energy solutions. Joining Hugo Morais were Tommaso Ferrucci, Project Engineer at Engreen; Eleni Kanellou, Research Associate at the National Technical University of Athens; Markus Taumberger, Project Coordinator of the Resonance project; Stratis Kanarachos, Senior Consultant at European Dynamics; and Georgios Halambalakis, Senior Consultant at Euroscore Consulting.
Following the “Technologies for Consumers” session, Helena Gérard represented EnergyVille/VITO and the U2DEMO project in the BRIDGE/ETIP SNET session, “Energy Communities’ Impact on Grids.” The panel served as a collaborative platform to address best practices and the regulatory and technical barriers faced by energy communities. Gérard joined industry experts Olivier Genest, Chair of the Bridge “Data Management” WG; Nuno de Souza e Silva, Executive Board Member at R&D Nester; Natalie Samovich, Chair of WG on Grids at ETIP-SNET; Ilaria Losa, Researcher at the Italian Research Center on Energy Systems (RSE); Mark McGranaghan, Fellow at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI); and Elissaios Sarmas, Researcher at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA); who brought diverse perspectives to the discussion.
The session highlighted recent work by the BRIDGE Working Group on Regulation, focusing on the transposition of EU regulations into national policies. Key topics included updates in technical and incentive regulations and the challenges associated with operational standards. This exchange underscored U2DEMO’s role in shaping frameworks that support the integration and growth of energy communities across Europe.
Meanwhile, at the U2DEMO booth, the team continued to actively engage with visitors. Highlights from the day included visits from U2DEMO partners Miguel Carvalho from Watt-IS and Ondřej Černý from E.DSO. Both partners expressed their support and discussed the project’s progress, reinforcing the collaborative efforts driving U2DEMO’s advancements in the energy sector.
As the event approached its end, the U2DEMO continued to receive visitors to the booth including consortium member and Innovation Manager at KU Leuven, Glenn Reynders.
U2DEMO’s participation at ENLIT Europe 2024 provided a valuable three-day platform to showcase the project’s goals and connect with a broader audience. The event highlighted the project’s mission to build a smarter, decentralized energy ecosystem that promotes energy sharing and trading, fostering a future where communities play a central role in energy management. With over 40 months yet to come, the project consortium is confident in the journey ahead and committed to reaching the defined milestones.
For more insights about U2DEMO, watch our project video below and follow our updates on social media to stay connected with U2DEMO’s progress.
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