Background
In recent years, strategic EU initiatives such as the European Green Deal and REPowerEU aimed to tackle the climate crisis, to ensure energy independence, and to guarantee affordable access to energy for all. The transition towards cleaner and more sustainable energy sources can mitigate the risk of instrumentalization towards political coercion.
The energy transition is considered as a collective and bottom-up project, where “actors need to be empowered to understand, decide, and participate actively in energy system, to allow a real debate and enable on best pathways towards a just and clean energy transition”. The importance of consumers in energy systems is summarized in the essential goals of energy policy: security of supply, economics, environment, and social acceptance.
The recast of the Electricity Market Directive (EMD) [1] (recitals 42, 43, and 44) and the Renewable Energy Directive [2] (REDII) (recitals 67 and 70) delivers a clear message. A prime goal of the two directives is to expand the role of consumers in the energy market, highlighting: 1) An increased acceptance of renewable energy; 2) The mobilization of additional private capital; 3) An increased energy efficiency at household level; 4) The reduction of energy poverty through reduced consumption and lower supply tariffs; 5) The inclusion of vulnerable consumers and tenants.
Motivation for building as active utility nodes
Buildings account for 40% of the energy consumed in the EU and 36% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Providing this, WeForming bases its conception on the fact that buildings shall play an interactive role within their energy ecosystem, becoming essential players in managing (and even forming) smart energy grids.
Hence, buildings and consumers have a key role to play, as members of energy communities, self-consumers, prosumers, or participants in demand-side response, as contributors to “energy demand reduction” or as contributors to the system flexibility – by providing data for energy prediction or by engaging in energy sharing and trading schemes.
Effective energy transition needs to recognize and respect consumer needs and choices, guaranteeing their rights and supporting the most vulnerable. The changing role of consumers needs to be supported with necessary tools and mechanisms that ease their participation and help them understand their changing role and opportunities to contribute to the transition. Therefore, new business models emerge around energy communities, incorporating concepts from demand-side response and P2P energy sharing and trading to allow consumers to become a more integrated part of the energy system and the transition.
The implications of energy communities and active participation for energy poor and vulnerable customers are very important as the energy bill is reduced through renewable energy production, their vulnerability caused by fluctuations of imports and irregular prices is also reduced, and more opportunities arise to access renewable energy sources.
In the contemporary energy landscape, challenges persist, particularly in terms of scalability, interoperability, standardization, inclusivity, and also in ensuring secure, transparent transactions in P2P energy trading platforms. Furthermore, the implications of energy communities and active participation, particularly for energy poor and vulnerable customers, are currently limited due to a lack of financial capital, time, information, knowledge, and opportunities. It becomes urgent to move forward towards the development and the deployment of an independent EU-validated flexibility and P2P trading solution, which prioritizes consumer engagement, open-source accessibility, and transparent integration while also illustrating pertinent services that foster interoperability and standardization.
Data sharing needs
Achieving the abovementioned shift requires real-time communication between energy consumers and producers, ranging from individual residences to large industrial facilities. Seamless and trusted two-way communication between all participants/elements is of paramount importance. This two-way communication empowers grid operators and participating entities to adapt and react to fluctuations in energy supply and demand, ensuring a more balanced and resilient grid.
In the context of our research project, it is important to acknowledge the emergence of Data Spaces as secure digital environments facilitating two-way communication between organizations. Addressing these challenges, Data Spaces have emerged to enable controlled access and processing of various data types, ranging from anonymized customer information to sensor data generated by equipment. Unlike traditional data integration methods, Data Spaces prioritize flexibility and adaptability. They achieve this by leveraging existing data matching and mapping techniques. This allows for integration of information sources with inherent structural variations, ensuring usability.
By establishing these comprehensive data descriptions, the WeForming Data Space will empower stakeholders to develop sophisticated analytical tools that can leverage data from diverse sources and energy carriers in the building sector. Such tools can be harnessed to identify patterns within energy consumption data, uncovering trends and recurring patterns that provide valuable insights into building operations. Predictive analytics can forecast future energy demand with greater accuracy, enabling proactive energy management strategies. Additionally, data-driven recommendations can be generated to optimize energy usage across various carriers within a building. For instance, business developers can combine weather data, occupancy information, and energy consumption data from multiple buildings. This comprehensive dataset would unlock the potential for developing highly accurate building energy models, ultimately leading to the creation of customized and improved energy services.
To this end, it is important to insist on end-user engagement, providing easy access to novel developed software and hardware solutions, as user-friendly tools are no longer a luxury but a necessity. These tools act as a bridge between cutting-edge technology and human experience, empowering occupants to make informed decisions that optimize their environment without succumbing to information overload. They empower end-users to effortlessly express preferences, receive data-driven suggestions for energy savings, and provide feedback, fostering a personalized living environment. Furthermore, intuitive interfaces simplify access to smart building services, while streamlining the contracting process. Ultimately, user-friendly tools ensure residents are active participants in their smart living experience, maximizing comfort, minimizing energy use, and paving the way for a future where technology seamlessly integrates with daily life.
Data Space technology acts as the invisible brain behind user-friendly smart building tools. Imagine it as a secure and organized digital space where all the building’s data resides. This data could be anything from temperature readings to resident preferences for lighting. User-friendly tools can then easily access and analyze this data in real-time. For instance, when a resident adjusts the temperature on their app, Data Space technology ensures the smart building system understands the preference and translates it into action.
Additionally, Data Space can analyze energy usage patterns and suggest adjustments for residents, all without bombarding them with technical jargon. This seamless flow of information empowers residents to make informed decisions without feeling overwhelmed, ultimately leading to a more comfortable and energy-efficient living environment.
Recognizing the varied technical backgrounds and competencies of WeForming participants (encompassing the business layer), a dedicated user-friendly interface (GUI) will be employed to ensure a seamless and intuitive experience. This GUI will act as a central access point, simplifying interaction with the underlying Data Space connector for all participants. Data exchange within the WeForming ecosystem can occur through either manual initiation or automated processes. Automated data sharing might be facilitated by Internet of Things (IoT) devices or cloud-based interfaces (system layer). However, regardless of the chosen mode (manual or automated), human intervention remains paramount in determining the specific data to be shared (“what”) and the appropriate sharing method (“how”).
