The Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS) of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) was founded in 1992. It was founded with the ‘charta’ to support the performance of top-quality research, development activities and the provision of scientific service to private and public bodies. Essentially the mission of ICCS was to support the deployment, the realization, and the growth of the research priorities of ECE mainly through seeking, pursuing and acquiring research funding via the competitive calls for research proposals that the European Commission had instigated. In turn its purpose has been to build a research personnel base alongside ECE’s faculty so as to conduct state-of-the-art research and at the same time improve the research laboratory equipment base and infrastructures of the School.
ICCS will participate in the project through the Decision Support Systems Laboratory (DSSLab), a multidisciplinary scientific unit within the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. DSSLab conducts research and development, scientific / technical support and training activities addressing a wide range of complex research and application problems. Operating for more than 25 years, the lab has acquired international experience in the following sectors: Energy and Environmental Policy, Information Technology and Decision Support Systems with a specialization in e-Business and e-Government, Interoperability, Management Information Systems, Program & Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, Training and Human Resources Development, Information Dissemination and Promotion.
ENGINEERING Ingegneria Informatica S.p.A. (ENG) is the head company of the ENGINEERING Group. ENG was founded in 1980, and it is currently the first IT group in Italy, among the top 10 IT groups in Europe, with approx. 11.000 employees and 65 branch offices in Italy and abroad, with an established presence in Belgium, Germany, Norway, Republic of Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, South America (Brazil and Argentina) and United States.
ENG has a consolidated presence on all vertical markets and operates through its 4 business units – Public Administration & Healthcare, Telco & Utilities, Industry & Services, Finance - supported by cross-business unit centres of competence and by the Research and Innovation Department which, with its 420 resources, has the dual role of promoting research on software at an international level and transferring R&D Department, have been participating in several National and European research initiatives co-funded by EC and the Italian Research Ministry. The R&D Department is located across six different locations in Italy and in Europe. The Group operates in the outsourcing and cloud computing market via an integrated network of data centres equipped with infrastructure aligned to the best technological, quality and security standards.
As one of the Universities in Germany awarded the status of "Excellence University", RWTH Aachen University, established in 1870, is a leading technical university in Germany and Europe with over 40,000 students and more than 500 professors. The E.ON Energy Research Centre, a public-private partnership between E.ON SE and RWTH Aachen University funded in 2006, fosters innovative energy research with a strong link with industry in an interdisciplinary approach, with five institutes from four different faculties.
Within this research centre, the Institute for Automation of Complex Power Systems (ACS) focuses on research for the automation, modernisation and restructuring of electrical energy distribution systems. This research area deals with solutions for monitoring, maintaining and developing complex power systems. Both the simulation of dynamic processes in complex network systems as well as development of a stable and secure communication infrastructure are areas of expertise of the scientists working at ACS. The Institute is developing the science and technology for the transition to the next generation energy grid based on network distributed control systems, agent-based control, distributed observer and measurements, complex system theory and control under uncertainty.
COMSENSUS is a high-tech SME founded in 2011. It is focused on the development of highly customized products and solutions for remote monitoring and control, predominantly for the energy sector. The portfolio of products includes the BEEP remote monitoring system, VESNA embedded system platform for development and prototyping of sensor networks, SPM and PQM modular devices for synchro-phasor and power quality measurements, and ENSIGHT data analytics and cloud services platform. Some relevant applications include real-time grid disturbance localization, load disaggregation and flexibility estimation using smart meter data, and energy generation/consumption forecasting.
The founders of the company have a strong research background and collaborated with several FP7/H2020 projects related to energy, sensor-based products and services, and testbed setup and maintenance. Some of these include H2020 RESOLVD, EMPIR FutureGrid II, H2020 PHOENIX, H2020 DEFENDER, H2020 WiSHFUL, H2020 TRIANGLE, FP7 eBadge, and FP7 SUNSEED.
Fundación CARTIF is a leading Spanish Applied Research Centre in terms of R&D and technology transfer activities created in 1994 formed up by some 200 researchers. Energy is one of the main research areas of CARTIF and this group is focused on Energy Efficiency, Energy Saving, Integration of Renewable Energy Systems, Electricity Market, Demand Response, Smart Grid, etc.
CARTIF participation in international activities is promoted through the International Projects Department and has been materialized in the current participation in 40 on-going international projects, including 14 FP7 projects -5 of them coordinated- and 6 projects from H2020 (2 of them coordinated). Coordinated projects include OptEEmAL “Optimised Energy Efficient Design Platform for Refurbishment at District Level”, BaaS “Buildings as a Service (Ecosystem)”; R2CITIES “Renovation of Residential urban spaces: towards nearly zero energy CITIES”; CITyFiED “RepliCable and InnovaTive Future Efficient Districts and cities” and two H2020 lighthouse projects REMOURBAN “REgeneration MOdel for accelerating the smart URBAN transformation” and MySmartLife ”Smart Transition of EU cities towards a new concept of smart Life and Economy”.
The German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence, with sites in Kaiserslautern, Saarbrücken, Bremen (with an associated branch in Osnabrück) and a project office in Berlin, is the leading German research institute in the field of innovative software technology. In the international scientific community, DFKI ranks among the most recognized "Centers of Excellence" and it is currently the biggest research center worldwide in the area of Artificial Intelligence and its application in terms of the number of employees and the volume of external funds.
The department “Augmented Vision” founded in 2008 and directed by Prof. Dr. Didier Stricker focuses on research and industrial applications in 3 strongly connected areas, namely Smart Sensor Networks, Computer Vision, and Machine Learning. The department grew rapidly and developed key-technologies in the areas of sensor networks, sensor data processing for mobile applications and low-energy machine learning. The department is strongly involved in all aspects of AI for Autonomous Driving and Mobile Machines, and Computer Vision, and Sensor Fusion.
Parity Platform is a tech SME that develops web and mobile apps to accelerate transition to cleaner energy. The company is developing LOADER, an EV charging station management app in cooperation with Electrified.gr, a company that installs of EV charging station in Greece. The app is used to manage multiple charging stations in Attica Region, Greece. Previously the SME developed a platform that streamlines incorporation, financing, and administration of Energy cooperatives, utilized by Good Energy Cooperative in Greece. Parity has received financial support from The People’s Trust and EIT Climate KIC and participates in Be finnovative 3.0, a program implemented by National Bank of Greece.
FundingBox Accelerator (FBA) is a Polish non-profit private entity supporting, promoting and launching technological & innovative ‘scale ups’ (startups and tech SMEs) initiatives in Europe.
FBA was created, in 2012, as the innovation and business accelerator arm of ‘The Funding Box Group’. It drives innovation by bringing its understanding of economic and industrial challenges as well as its global connections to the smart ecosystems around entrepreneurship. FundingBox Platform, with over 26.700 (May 2020) innovators, makers and entrepreneurs registered, which facilitates cross-border interactions across ecosystems by building communities around innovative technologies. Through its proprietary acceleration program (IMPACT POLAND), it provides ‘scale ups’ with resources to swiftly move from product concept to product demonstrator.
Centro de Investigação em Energia REN - State Grid, S.A. (R&D Nester - R&DNESTER) is an energy research centre belonging to the Portuguese Transmission System Operator Group, REN (REN – Redes Energéticas Nacionais, SGPS, SA).
As an energy research centre, our mission is to provide an international platform for knowledge, delivering innovative solutions to be applied into energy systems. R&D NESTER aims at providing new tools, strategies and processes well-tuned to the new energy paradigm, and serving as a driving force towards more efficient and sustainable energy systems.
The main areas of activity are Power Systems Simulation, Renewable Energy Management, Smart Grid Technologies, Energy Markets and Economics, Power Systems Planning and Operation. For this purpose, R&D NESTER own and operates a real-time power systems simulation laboratory, ideal to leverage R&D NESTER core competences through state-of-the-art technologies, enabling the simulation and testing of both power systems and communication networks, either in a stand-alone mode or by performing co-simulation.
ASM Terni S.p.A. is a public utility company, established in 1960 and fully owned by the Terni municipality, specializing in water, gas, electricity and environmental services. It supplies water and gas to 86,000 and 50,000 customers respectively and owns and operates the local power distribution network, delivering about 400 GWh to 65,100 customers annually. In the field of waste management, ASM TERNI provides eight districts with solid waste collection services, waste disposal, transportation and street sweeping. Since 2000, ASM TERNI has been involving in pioneering actions aiming to innovate services and infrastructures. In 2010, an Innovation Department was created and currently, thanks also to the EU contributions received under FP7 and H2020 programs, ASM TERNI is considered an important pilot site in Europe to test in real case situation innovative solutions, methods, practices, and technologies.
SONCE energija obnovljivi viri d.o.o. (SONCE New Energy Ltd. - SONCE) is ESCO in Slovenia. SONCE is EPC for solar power plants since year 2008. SONCE already installed over 500 solar project all around Slovenia: from small-scaled projects up to 1 MW installations. SONCE is also engineering company for energy-efficient projects: heat pumps, IR panels, air-conditioning etc. Recently SONCE became a exclusive partner of SunContract in Slovenia and enables peer-to-peer energy trading in Slovenia. SONCE is Balance Responsible Party for SunContract community where producers can directly sell electricity to consumers.
Under the brand SONCE operates experienced and promising team of professionals with over 15 years of experience in the energy sector. Company SONCE is socially responsible, with a sense of responsibility towards the environment and society as a whole. Our team gathers people with vision, investment orientation and people with different technical and professional skills.
HERON is a Group of companies engaging in the production, supply, and trading of electricity. The HERON Group, focusing on the production and supply of electricity, is one of the few vertically integrated undertakings in the sector, having been the first private Group to operate in the Greek liberalized electricity market. It owns, and has successfully operated since 2004, two gas-fired power plants outside Thiva, with a total installed capacity of almost 600 MW. HERON constructed the first private power plant in Greece in 2004, followed by the second, combined cycle power plant in 2009, at the same site.
Having started its operations in 2000, it is now supported by three large energy Groups. HERON was established by the GEK TERNA Group, which is a leader in energy production from conventional and renewable (RES) sources in Greece and abroad. ENGIE (ex GDF Suez), i.e., the largest independent electricity producer and supplier in the world, entered its list of shareholders in 2009. Moreover, QATAR PETROLEUM (through QPI GAS & POWER OPC.), i.e., yet another global leader in the energy sector, successfully acquired a holding in the share capital of the HERON II power plant in March 2014.
Green Energy Cooperative (in Croatian; Zelena energetska zadruga or ZEZ) is a RES cooperative and social enterprise based in Zagreb, Croatia. ZEZ is actively operating in several cities in Croatia on green energy and energy efficiency topics. In the focus of their work are locally initiated RES&EE projects, with the aim of empowering local communities through use of local resources.
Since 2013, ZEZ has been putting efforts to share community energy concept in Croatia and across borders. ZEZ has been elected into the board of directors of REScoop.eu, European federation of renewable energy cooperatives (a growing network of 1.500 European REScoops and their 1.000.000 citizens). Furthermore, Energy Community Secretariat appointed ZEZ as core topic leader for “Citizens participation in the development of RE projects” for South East Europe for period 2016 to 2018, and 2019 to 2020.
BFP Group is a multifaceted, worldwide engineering & consultancy firm with international offices, applying ten years of experience to offer services worldwide across a broad range of sectors, including civil and industrial engineering, renewable energy, oil & gas, along with its own O&M division, through a small, yet highly specialized team. BFP Group is also active in the public sector and has created a specialized team dedicated to public sector bidding, working in close collaboration with a reliable network of partner companies.
In 2012, following the national restructuring of renewable energy feed-in tariffs, BFP made the wise decision to invest its wealth of knowledge and experience into maximizing the performance of operational solar farms and wind plants. A new O&M division was therefore created through BFP Service S.r.l., a wholly owned BFP subsidiary with a growing number of O&M contracts in Italy and Europe.
BFP Service currently manages a 61 MW O&M portfolio of PV plants distributed in South and Central Italy, guaranteeing first-class performance using site-specific programs designed to ensure enhanced owner value.
With expertise covering more than a hundred years of experience, Veolia group is the global leader in optimized resources management, designing and implementing water, waste and energy solutions in three complementary business activities that work together to create synergies that contribute to the sustainable development of communities and industries, under the circular economy concept.
Veolia is a partner to cities, for which it is reinventing the approach to traditional markets and to industry, for which it provides customized solutions covering all requirements, whatever the business sector, increasing their efficiency from an environmental, economic, and social standpoint.
Veolia provides efficient, cost-effective, and eco-friendly environmental services for public and private customers around the world. For instance, in 2017, the Veolia group supplied 96 million people with drinking water and 62 million people with wastewater service, produced nearly 55 million megawatt hours of energy and converted 47 million metric tons of waste into new materials and energy.
Riga Municipal Agency “Riga Energy Agency” (REA), established by the Riga City Council, is the first local energy agency in Latvia. REA is an independent, non-profit municipal establishment, founded in 2007 for the purpose of planning, management, monitoring and coordination of sustainable energy supply and consumption, promotion of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources in Riga City Municipality, enhancing the shift to sustainable transport modes and solutions, promotion of energy efficient renovation of city’s housing stock and public buildings, as well as, rising awareness amongst the local population on sustainability issues and ensuring public awareness and public involvement within its core activities.
On behalf of the City of Riga, REA engages in long term partnerships signing agreements with professional associations, universities, research centres and NGOs to share the knowledge and disseminate the results of implemented projects and innovative actions. REA represents the city and takes an active part in such European networks as the Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), Energy Cities, European Association for Hydrogen and fuel cells and Electro-mobility in European Regions (HyER), ManagEnergy, the Union of the Baltic Cities (UBC), EUROCITIES, WHO Healthy Cities Network and other.
The Asturian Energy Foundation (FAEN) is the Regional Energy Agency of the Principado of Asturias (Spain), which adopts the legal figure of Foundation and it is an entity without lucrative interest, with private nature and with its own legal personality and full capacity to work. FAEN has been constituted the 16th of July of 2001 and it has been established and starting to work the 1st of February of 2002.
Since 2003, FAEN has participated in more than fifteen European Projects being work package leaders in some of them, in calls like IEE, INTERREG, LIFE and H2020. Because of this, we have extensive transnational work experience across most of northern and western Europe.
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