Deep Dive Session: Digital transformation of energy services
The electricity grid plays a crucial role in the energy supply of the future. With the rapid rise of renewables and new consumers such as solar parks, charging stations for electric vehicles, and battery storage systems, it becomes increasingly important that all these communicate seamlessly with the grid and its actors. This is the only way to achieve optimal energy exchange.
In this Deep Dive session, we combine expert lectures with demonstrations to provide a comprehensive understanding of how technologies and services interact. Participants will gain insights into the latest advancements in grid integration, learn about innovative solutions for managing energy flows. Join us to discover how we can create a more efficient and sustainable energy future.
Programme
10.00: Welcome coffee
10.30: Welcome and introduction to EDIH-EBE by Michel Huys
Expert talks:
10.45: Flexibility for distribution networks, Md Umar Hashmi, EnergyVille/KU Leuven
As distribution networks integrate more distributed energy resources (DERs) and face intermittent load-generation patterns, maintaining operational integrity becomes challenging. Flexibility is essential for this transition. This presentation explores key aspects of flexibility operations, including identifying network needs, modelling approaches, harnessing behind-the-meter flexibility, activation bottlenecks, and fairness. We highlight the importance of flexible solutions for efficient and equitable grid management.
11.30: Ancillary services in power system and digitalisation, Abhimanyu Kaushal, EnergyVille/VITO
System operators require ancillary services to maintain secure and reliable power system operations. This presentation provides a brief overview of the key ancillary services and explores the benefits of sharing these services across countries. With the growing integration of distributed energy resources (DERs), their participation in ancillary services is becoming increasingly relevant. However, several barriers—technical, regulatory, and market-related—limit their effective involvement. The presentation will highlight these challenges and discuss how digitalization can play a crucial role in enabling DERs to contribute to ancillary service provision across interconnected power systems.
Demonstration:
12.00: Connectivity and Control of Energy Assets, Rick Loenders, EnergyVille/KU Leuven
Seamless communication is essential for system interoperability, primarily achieved
through standardization. In this demonstration, we will explore the communication
protocols that govern various energy assets and illustrate how they control power.
We will examine scenarios from both the plant and grid operator perspectives,
incorporating photovoltaic systems (PV), batteries, electric vehicles (EV), and grid
monitoring mechanisms.
12.30h: Network lunch
Practical details
When: 8 May 2025, 10.00-13.00h
Where: EnergyVille 1, Genk
Pricing: free
DMA: We ask SMEs and medium-sized companies to complete this ‘digital maturity assessment’ (duration circa 10’) as required by the EU before the workshop.
