CREATing cOmmunity eneRgy Systems

ended

CREATORS enables local initiators to create and operate advanced Community Energy Systems (CES) by supporting technical, financial and social processes. With the sector moving beyond inventor-lead pilots, local CES initiators lack the capacity for high-quality simulation, business modelling and automated operations that are required in communities with a range of vectors, 1000s of mixed members, and balancing/ trading that requires controls in milliseconds. Leading engineering firms Cordeel and COMSA work with specialists in simulation and energy trading (i.LECO), emulation for digital twins (Typhoon HIL), and financing (EnergyPro) to develop services that enable local professionals to apply state of the art energy system technologies. These applications and integrated packages will mature from TRL5-6 to TRL7-8 and eventually be offered as ´CES-as-a-Service´. The services will deliver 60% preparation and operational costs reductions, ensuring 99,95% uptime, 20-35% CAPEX reduction, and up to 40% additional incomes. The results are 5-10% local energy price reduction (below €0,18kWh) in systems covering all vectors, with 10³ - 10⁴ participants. The approach creates 2 fte jobs in each CES, whilst for partners remote services could reach 10% the system turnover, in what is a high growth market. In standardizing simulation and assessment tools in close collaboration with local stakeholders (30 LoS), the BRIDGE initiative and lenders (industry-lead Investor Confidence Protocols), CREATORS significantly advances commercial readiness (CRI3). The applications will be developed in 4 sites (Belgium, Spain, Slovenia, Estonia), and replicated in another 6 (the Netherlands, Bulgaria, France, Spain). The pilots mix vectors, participants and business models, covering in total >2000 households, >500SMEs and >5 industrial sites. Ten more prospective CES will be supported in feasibility studies through a competitive process, which also aims to prepare for commercial market entry.