VPP4Islands aims to facilitate the integration of renewable systems, accelerate the transition towards smart and green energy and help Islands to exploit energy efficiency potential and innovative storage approaches, foster the active participation of citizens and become self-sufficient in energy, while reducing costs, GHG emissions and reliance on heavy fuel oil to generate power, and creating new intelligent business, growth and local skilled jobs.

THE PROJECT

To reach these goals, VPP4Islands project proposes disruptive solutions based on digital twin concept, Virtual energy storage systems (VESS) and Distributed Ledger technology (DLT) to revolutionize the existing VPP and build smart energy communities. Based on aggregation and smart management of distributed energy resources (DERs), VPP4Islands increases the flexibility and profitability of energy systems while providing novel services. VPP4Island will also enhance the Demand Response Capability of consumers by understating their behaviors and promoting self-consumption.

In order to validate and evaluate the proposed solutions, two use cases in real-life with diverse assets in two leading islands are planned. The control and optimization of different systems will be extended to consider not only electrical, but also multienergy vectors. Moreover, the qualified VPP4Islands solutions will be replicated in 3 follower islands, in order to generate and initiate smart sustainable energy plans. Also, VPP4Islands will generate durable social and environmental values for the benefit of consumers/prosumers. Finally, VPP4Islands project consortium is composed of 1 large company, 1 DSO, 7 SMEs, 3 universities, 2 RTOs, 3 islands municipalities, and 2 non-profits organisation.

As a result of the geographic insularity, the energy systems in Islands are characterized by high investment, installation and exploitation costs, low profitability, limited connection to the energy market, over-dependence on fossil fuels, high greenhouse gas emissions level and poor electrical grid quality.

The main objectives of VPP4Islands project are to maximise the use of RES, reduce fossil energy consumption while ensuring stability and flexibility energy production in islands. These goals will be reached by creating an open network of VPPs promoting the synergy and the flexibility of renewable energy sources combination integrated in a portfolio. This will facilitate the integration of clean energy into the existing grid system, for the benefit of consumers and climate. VPP4Islands will work along the following strategic objectives quantified through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Integrated Roadmap (IR), Key Actions (KA) of SET PLAN and Expected Impacts (EI), strategic objectives KPI:

• SO1: Implement Living labs to promote renewable energy communities in islands.
• SO2: Increase the exploitation and the penetration of renewable energy-based system on the Island.
• SO3: Embracing new technologies to promote a large penetration of renewable energy sources.
• SO4: Smart combination of multiple storage strategies.
• SO5: Digitalization and ensuring the multi-dimensional flexibility and increasing the performance of the portfolio of RES.
• SO6: Enhancing the transparency and the cybersecurity of data related to the green energy.
• SO7: Development of an open VPP4Islands ecosystem.
• SO8: Development of tailored business models to support the sustainability and commercialisation VPP4Islands outputs.

The VPP4Islands has several economic, technological, environmental and social impacts, with potential to improve the performance of distributed renewable energy sources (storage systems, dispatchable sources and variable outputs …).

This project will substantially contribute to increase considerably flexibility index and promote the utilization of distributed renewable energy in Europe. Also, VPP4Islands aims to strengthen European innovation capacity, identify new business opportunities for European companies and boost their growth.

CONSORTIUM

A consolidated research group with a renowned academic and industrial profile.

• algoWatt SpA
• SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC ESPANA SA
• BLOCKCHAIN2050 BV
• BRUNEL UNIVERSITY LONDON
• REGENERA LEVANTE SL
• CARDIFF UNIVERSITY
• CIVIESCO SRL
• INAVITAS ENERJI ANONIM SIRKETI
• INGENIERIA Y DISENO ESTRUCTURAL AVANZADO SL
• RDIUP
• FTK FORSCHUNGSINSTITUT FUR TELEKOMMUNIKATION UND KOOPERATION EV
• AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DEINVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS
• TROYA GENC CEVRE DERNEGI
• ULUDAG ELEKTRIK DAGITIM ANONIM SIRKKETI
• CONSELL INSULAR DE FORMENTERA
• BORNHOLMS VARME AS
• BOZCAADA BELEDIYE BASKANLIGI
• COMUNE DI GRADO