Euro smart grids initiative launches €20 million call

 
ERA-Net Smart Grids Plus, an initiative of 21 European countries and regions, has launched a second joint call for RDD projects, in an effort to create an electric power system that integrates renewable energy.

The aim of the second joint call is to promote piloting and demonstration in the field of smart grids. Focus will be given to validation, scale-up and replication.

The main challenges identified for the second joint call include enabling an increased flexibility of the power system to cope with the growing share of intermittent, variable and decentralised renewable generation and managing the complex interactions.

Also, increasing network capacity to support increased generation and transmission resulting from renewables, and supporting the internal energy market will also be tackled, as well as providing information, services, market architectures and privacy guarantees to support open markets for energy products and services, whilst facilitating the active participation of customers, it is stated in the call.

The project must be transnational by nature, involving at least two independent entities and at least two different countries of the ERA-Net Smart Grids Plus partners.

The total available budget for the call is approximately €20 million, and the project proposal deadline is set for June 15, 2016.