D8.2 Pilot results of Smart Energy MicroGrid Neighbourhood use-case

The Smart Energy MicroGrid Neighbourhood, Use Case Pilot site was installed, as described in D7.2 in the third year of this four-year project. Its operation and performance were evaluated according to the framework described in D8.1 and the results are reported here. This Deliverable describes the operation of the pilot site, the methods used for the evaluation process and its findings, and concludes on its overall performance in the context of VICINITY and the way forward. 

The results of the Use Case Pilot have been very encouraging, given the positive response the project has received from end-users. In fact, those involved in the demonstration either considered their participation in the project as positive (over 60% of the main users strongly agreeing). The implementation and reliability of the various Value-Added Services (VASs) using the VICINITY platform has underlined the value of the technical and market viability of both the VICINITY platform and the VAS. It has allowed us to create awareness and initial demand from other market parties for the solutions developed. Feedback from the end-users has allowed us to address system reliability issues, make user-interface improvements, and is creating opportunities for co-creation of new (user-led) solutions. Co-creation activities with students and teachers on Smart School functionality were encouraging and revealed the need to rely on this practice in the future. Technological promise of the platform could be revealed to the stakeholders/end users as functionality of the solutions. 

Within the pilot site implementation, the project has achieved the full operational solution of the three VASs (Municipality Energy Efficiency and IEQ Services, Services for Citizens, and Distributed Energy Assets Management).  An additional solution was co-created based on the market demand: IOT Inventory and the related performance monitoring of the systems. Data retrieved through the VICINITY platform has been correctly transferred in the form of readily understandable and actionable information to the end-users, demonstrating the full functionality of both the VICINITY Unique Selling Point ‘Semantic interoperability as a service’ as well as the value of the VASs.

End users have responded positively to the user experience and more importantly to the value of the VAS’s, indicating a clear interest to continue using the system, suggesting further ideas of expanded sensor data inclusion, and potential co-creation opportunities within Smart Building, Smart School solutions. Meanwhile relevance and interest on the EU level as to climate services for citizens cannot be underestimated. Internally the ENERC team is interested to further develop the Smart Clean predictive services for systems maintenance within operations and management contracts. Showcasing the pilot to another municipality has led to an advanced discussion for commercial pilot implementation. 

The next three months of the stakeholders’ discussions and further co-creation is expected to yield commercialization opportunities beyond those already achieved. In fact, 100% of the main users would like to continue to co-create in the future, 30% of the responders expressing a strong readiness to do so.