The EU Energy Projects Podcast

For this special episode, Helena Gerard (EU-DREAM) steps in as guest host, joining Kostas Tsatsakis (DIGITISE) and Simone Nicolussi (CELINE) for a discussion on how digital tools, data platforms and consumer-focused services can help transform passive consumers into active participants in the energy transition.

The discussion highlights common themes emerging across the three projects, including interoperability, data management, privacy, cybersecurity, digital literacy and citizen engagement. The speakers emphasise that while technological innovation is advancing rapidly, success will ultimately depend on trust, accessibility and ensuring that no consumer group is left behind.

In this episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, EDP’s Daniel Albuquerque introduces the TALOS project.
A major challenge with the use of solar PV is keeping the panels in operating condition and clean and well maintained so that the output is maximised, particularly in remote areas, which can be challenging to access and where also conditions tend to be more extreme, perhaps with more birds present and in some more sand or humidity in the environment.

This is where TALOS comes in developing robotic and digital AI-based solutions to support the operation and maintenance of the PV, with a focus on three PV types: the standard ground mounted PV, floating PV located in water bodies and agrivoltaics in which the PV is installed in an agricultural setting.

In this episode, Jonathan Spencer Jones is joined by Paolo Veronesi, professor of metallurgy at University of Modena and Reggio Emilia to break down the Metawave project.

A significant challenge in the drive for net zero is the decarbonisation of energy intensive industries such as ceramics, glass or concrete.

The further challenge is that the diversity of industries with their individual characteristics and processes require individual solutions.

One of these is high temperature heating and microwave – well established as a medium for cooking – seems to offer potential in industry as a replacement for fossil-fuel based heating.

“We decided to use microwaves because of their volumetric, selective and rapid nature of heating. And they are also useful to process multi-phase materials or materials having a low thermal conductivity,” Paolo explains.

In this episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, Areti Ntaradimou was joined by Duncan Gibb and Mojtaba Kamarlouei from the F6S cluster to discuss intelligent grid-forming buildings, interoperability, flexibility markets and the increasingly important role data is playing in Europe’s energy transition.

At the center of the discussion was the WeForming project and the idea that buildings should no longer be viewed merely as passive energy consumers. Instead, they can become active participants in the energy system; flexible, responsive and capable of interacting directly with the grid.

In the latest episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, Areti Ntaradimou is joined by Hugo Morais from the INESC ID cluster, representing three EU-funded projects: SHIFT2DC, U2Demo and EV4EU. 

While the projects focus on different parts of the energy system, they share a common ambition: to support electrification, increase flexibility and make energy assets more visible, controllable and useful for the grid.

SHIFT2DC explores the potential of direct current solutions in buildings, data centres, industry and ports. The logic is simple but powerful: many of the technologies we use today, from PV panels and batteries to EV chargers and servers, already operate in DC. Reducing unnecessary conversions could therefore improve efficiency and support decarbonisation.

U2Demo focuses on energy communities and real-life demonstrations. Here, the challenge is not only technical. As Hugo explains, integrating heterogeneous systems is difficult, but regulation can be just as complex. Different countries have different rules on governance, for example or in sharing flexibility services, which means tools often need to be adapted country by country.

EV4EU, which is approaching its conclusion, brings the electric mobility angle. Among its key results is a prototype bidirectional charging station using CCS technology, as well as open source tools for charging point operators. Yet the conversation also makes clear that electric vehicles will only become real flexibility assets if users are engaged, infrastructure is ready, and business models properly reward participation.

What stands out in this discussion is that digitalisation is not just a nice addition. Without data, there is no control; without control, there is no intelligence; and without intelligence, the benefits remain limited.