by Nikolas Giampaolo, dissemination team @Deep Blue Italy
We are happy to publish the final event report, including all presentations and pictures. The full video recordings of each session is available on our YouTube channel:
Final event report
19th October 2022
The final event in Brussels was a real success! The event sessions started with introductory presentations, keynotes and pecha-kucha. The following sessions were more focused on attendants participation, to ensure there was time for engagement in discussions around the project approach and results. The several interactive sessions, from more technical ones to board games, enabled proactive interaction among partners and the public. We thank the whole consortium and all the participants for such a pleasing and engaging attitude!
Opening remarks and keynotes
Project introduction by Thierry Coosemans
After a warm welcome to all participants given by Stella Arapoglou, VUB project manager, the project coordinator prof. Thierry Coosemans shortly introduced the project goal and ambitions, and linked it to its final results: the experience in our four European pilot sites, the implementation challenges and lessons learnt, and the technical set-up of all hardware and software components. The Consortium worked as a whole to test and demonstrate the project approach and validated it in eleven replication sites worldwide.
Keynote speech by Achille Hannoset
As DG Energy representative, policy officer Achille Hannoset presented the current EU regulatory landscape and how it is currently being applied by Member States. Moreover, updates from the different regulatory bodies and most recent research frameworks have been added, focusing in particular on the role of citizens and how to enable their active participation.
Expert Keynote by Andrzej Rajkiewicz – NAPE Poland
As third and final keynote, our partner from NAPE presented an interesting overview on the Polish energy strategy landscape, with a focus on how Poland is supporting Ukraine adapting its national energy strategy and collecting reconstruction funds, beyond of course humanitarian aid.
Tools Presentation and interactive sessions
The morning session continued with a pecha-kucha session led by Antje Nettelbeck from Bax&Company, which quickly introduce attendees to the logic and structure of the safe transaction module based on blockchain and how it supports the management of an energy community through the ROP platform. After that, a more detailed presentation of each different RENAISSANCE tool followed, namely:
- the ROP Platform presented by Zoi Boutopolou from CERTH
- the MAMCA methodology presented by Shary Heunincks and Maria Lode from VUB
- the RENERGISE tool presented by Julian Ruddick from VUB
- the GAMIFICATION tool presented by Rebecca Hueting and Nikolas Giampaolo from Deep Blue Italy
ROP Platform and blockchain module – Overall, participants were interested in understanding how end users would approach the platform and to what extent they will be required to intervene in their energy consumption, production and auctioning set-up and monitoring. Other questions were related with the impact of the blockchain technology, which definitely ensures higher security standards but it might affect other functionalities. After the explanations given by Luis Montalvillo from IKERLAN and Zoi Boutopolou from CERTH, it was clear that not only transactions are safer thanks to the concept and roll-out of distributed computing, but also no additional user-input is required since the transaction modules will work smoothly based on standard user profiles and energy data used to establish the initial configuration of smart contracts. Of course, expert users or those who have a specific curiosity, have the possibility to check and edit advanced settings, since the system also ensures transparency, but there is no need for intervention once the user settings and preferences have been determined.
MAMCA Methodology – Shary Heuninckx and Maria Lode described shortly the MAMCA methodology, bringing out actual examples of its application in European pilot sites and international sites. The multi-actor multi-criteria analysis tool is a stakeholder engagement tool that ensured the early involvement of all potential local community members. The tool, developed by the MOBI-VUB team, was used for the first time in RENAISSANCE to develop energy scenarios and business models. The level of engagement of all stakeholders was encouraging for the research and the methodology can now be considered a fully tested one for emerging LECs and RECs.
RENERGISE tool – Julian Ruddick from VUB presented the RENERGISE tool and its features. The tool offers end users the possibility to simulate the performance of small to medium scale renewable energy systems by adding several energy assets (also called vectors), location data and current energy prices. If used by users with low technical background, it is intuitive enough and allows the upload of default values, providing as a result a gross but reliable idea of the expected performance of the system. If used by people with a certain level of expertise and knowledge about energy systems and markets, a more in-depth assessment of performance and comparison between different configurations is provided. The tool is intended for rough estimations that come at hand as a decision making tool before proceeding with more operational phases and specific technical advice.
GAMIFICATION tool – Rebecca Hueting and Nikolas Giampalo from Deep Blue Italy presented the online videogame “Can you RENew it”, which was developed and designed with the support of UX and Human Factors experts, with the aim of involving players in a simplified “journey into prosumerism”: make the right moves to increase your energy efficiency, convince other members and partner-up to upgrade the energy system and win the highest gains in terms of Co2 reduction, reduction of costs, production of renewable energy and storage capacity! All participants were invited to join the board-game session organised as event closure, to allow them try it in person and engage directly in a team role-play challenge!
Download event slide deck and gamification tool presentation
Pecha-Kucha Bax&Co – (video below)
Panel session
TBD – Coming soon
Afternoon interactive sessions
After lunch two young energy experts and entrepeneurs shared their direct experience of the European energy landscape, both in terms of incentive schemes and in terms of market opportunities. The goal of the “Voices from the field” session led by Duccio Baldi from ENCO, with the support of Federico Barbieri from EYEN, was that of raising awareness among participants about the massive commitment of younger generations towards sustainable solutions and renewables, and the surprisingly low support they receive in return. Inappropriate incentive schemes, limiting bureaucracy, low trust from funding parties. Luckily, start-ups and networks are emerging and they offer services and solutions to those communities joining the energy transition. The replication site in the outskirts of Firenze is a clear example of how important it is to push forward research solutions and approaches such as that developed by the RENAISSANCE project.
EYEN Federico Barbieri presentation
ENCO Duccio Baldi presentation
Find here all presentations link:
- H 09:00 – Project introduction by Thierry Coosemans –REN Final Event – VUB Thierry coosemans.pptx
- H 9:30 – Keynote speech by Achille Hannoset – REN_FInal Event _ KEYNOTE Hannoset_ EU framework for Energy Communities_master_wip_Renaissance.pptx
- H 09:40 – Expert Keynote by Andrzej Rajkiewicz – NAPE Poland – REN_Final Event – NAPE Andrzej Rajkiewicz.pptx
- H 10:00 – Tools Presentation and interactive sessions – REN Final Event – Main Presentation and Board Game.pptx
- H 10.20 – Pecha-Kucha Bax&Co – (video below)
- H 12:30 – “Voices from the field” – REN Final Event – EYEN Federico Barbieri.pptx and REN_Final Event – ENCO Duccio Baldi
Gallery
All pictures credits go to the author: Olivier Pirard. Renaissance 2022 All rights reserved
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