The EnergyShield project will develop an integrated toolkit covering the complete EPES value chain (generator, TSO, DSO, consumer). The toolkit combines novel security tools from leading European technology vendors and will be validated in large-scale demonstrations by end-users. The EnergyShield toolkit will combine the latest technologies for vulnerability assessment (automated threat modelling and security behaviour analysis), monitoring & protection (anomaly detection and DDoS mitigation) and learning & sharing (security information and event management). The integrative approach of the project is unique as insights produced by the various tools will be combined to provide a unique level of visibility to the users. For example, it will be possible to combine vulnerability scanning with automated threat modelling to provide insights into software vulnerabilities present in an architecture in combination with insights into what are the key assets, risks and weak links of the architecture. The toolbox will allow end-users to predict future attacks (as it provides insights to what attacks can be applied to the weakest links of the architecture) and learn from past attacks (for example using the insights from the vulnerability assessment and threat modelling to prevent attacks, and learning from attacks to update the probabilistic meta-model of the threat modelling). The toolkit will be implemented with the complete EPES value chain who will contribute to the specification, prototyping and demonstration phases of the project. Although the toolkit will be tailored to the needs of EPES operators, many of the technology building blocks and best practices will be transferable to other types of critical infrastructures. The consortium consists of 2 large industrial partners (SIVECO and PSI), whereof SIVECO is taking the lead supported by 6 innovative SMEs, 3 academic research organizations and 7 end-users representing various parts of the EPES value chain.

With the evolving threat of climate change and the consequences of industrial accidents to becoming more severe, there is an increasing need for First Responders to access reliable and agile information management systems that offer as higher Situational Awareness and better Common Operational Picture. To match with current trends, the RESPOND-A project aims at developing holistic and easy-to-use solutions for First Responders by bringing together the complementary strengths of its Investigators in 5G wireless communications, Augmented and Virtual Reality, autonomous robot and unmanned aerial vehicle coordination, intelligent wearable sensors and smart monitoring, geovisual analytics and immersive geospatial data analysis, passive and active localisation and tracking, and interactive multi-view 360o video streaming. The synergy of such cutting-edge technological advancements is likely to provide high-end and continuous flows of data, voice and video information to First Responders and their Command & Control Centres for predicting and assessing the various incidents readily and reliably, and saving lives more efficiently and effectively, while maximising the safeguarding of themselves, before, during and after disasters. To this end, RESPOND-A envisions at exercising First Responders for getting familiar with the project technological outcomes, and demonstrating their real-world performance and effectiveness in the classified training facilities of our Responder Partners under hydrometeorological, geophysical and technological disaster scenarios.

FLEXITRANSTORE project shall develop a next generation of Flexible Energy Grid (FEG), which provides the technical basis to support the valorisation of flexibility services, enhancing the existing European Internal Energy Market (IEM). This FEG addresses the capability of a power system to maintain continuous service in the face of rapid and large swings in supply or demand, whatever the cause. Thus, a wholesale market infrastructure and new business models within this integrated FEG should be upgraded to network players, incentivize new ones to join, while demonstrating new business perspectives for cross border resources management and energy trading. The strategic objectives of FLEXITRANSTORE are: to enhance and accelerate the integration of renewables into European energy systems and to increase cross border electricity flows across Europe. Flexibility is one of the keys to meeting these strategic objectives. A range of state-of-the-art ICT technologies / control improvements will be exploited to enhance the flexibility of this novel energy grid while increasing the utility of the existing infrastructure by integrating storage and demand response management. From a market perspective, state-of-the-art ICT technologies / control improvements will be applied to develop an enhanced market model on an integrated platform, for flexibility services and to support cross border auctioning and trading of energy. The FEG components and the digital market infrastructure will be deployed in 8 Demonstrations which will take place in 6 countries (Greece, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Slovenia, Belgium, Spain), focusing on illustrating specific functions and serving real needs and existing challenges.

The current international situation makes the process of energy transition more critical for Europe than ever before. It is a key requirement to increase the penetration of renewables while aiming at making the infrastructure more resilient and cost-effective. In this context, digital twins (DT) build a key asset to facilitate all aspects of business and operational coordination for system operators and market parties. It is of fundamental importance to now start a process of agreement at European level so not to develop isolated instances but a federated ecosystem of DT solutions. Each operator should be able to make its own implementation decisions while preserving and supporting interoperability and exchange with the remaining ecosystem. Exactly this is the vision of the TwinEU consortium: enabling new technologies to foster an advanced concept of DT while determining the conditions for interoperability, data and model exchanges through standard interfaces and open APIs to external actors. The envisioned DT will build the kernel of European data exchange supported by interfaces to the Energy Data Space under development. Advanced modeling supported by AI tools and able to exploit High Performance Computing infrastructure will deliver an unprecedented capability to observe, test and activate a pan-European digital replica of the European energy infrastructure. In this process, reaching consensus is crucial: the consortium therefore gathers an unprecedented number of actors committed to achieving this common goal. The concepts developed by TwinEU span over 15 different European countries with a continuous coverage of the continental map. Demos will encompass key players at every level from transmission to distribution and market operators, while also testing the coordinated cross-area data exchange. The consortium also includes relevant industry players, research institutions and associations with a clear record in developing innovative solutions for Europe.

The rapid development of the energy domain with smart devices as well as the recent expansion of renewable power sources have raised significant challenges for the energy industries and the research community in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) domain. In order for the high expectations and the expected impact on the energy market’s practices to be met, the industrial community needs new well-educated professionals, even at the early stages of their life career, that continuously keep track of the latest technological advancements, while Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) need to discover efficient ways to disseminate the expertise developed through research projects and activities across Europe.This changing environment and context places new demands in terms of education and sets new requirements for university graduates. JAUNTY (Joint undergAduate coUrses for smart eNergy managemenT sYstems) is the beneficial result of transferring state of the art knowledge gained during the implementation of the innovative Horizon 2020 projects SDN-microSENSE and SPEAR – funded under the H2020 program – directly to undergraduate student’s classes. In this project, members of the SDN-microSENSE and SPEAR consortiums, develop distant courses and remote labs in Smart Energy Management Systems (SEMS) for undergraduate students, in order to address the energy power companies’ demands on emerging ICT technologies. The courses are provided through online platforms while students are exercised on smart grid deployments and management, via a newly developed platform for remote labs. All courses and labs are embedded to the participating HEIs curricula as elective courses and students successfully completed the program will be awarded with a Joint Qualifications Certificate on SEMS.Apart from its main academic content, the rationale behind JAUNTY project is to enable students with fewer opportunities to gain an international study experience without mobility by the so called “ERASMUS from Home”. Under this prism, new challenges are created for the European HEIs to prepare well-aware graduates in terms of their opportunities for further studies and employment on their specific areas of interest.