Tools & Methods

REACT is a 4-year research project funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 Programme. Its objective is to achieve island energy independence through renewable energy generation and storage, a demand response platform, and promoting user engagement in a local energy community. REACT wants to help island communities achieve energy independency by developing a technical and business model to demonstrate that the large-scale deployment of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and storage assets coupled with an ICT platform to enable an integrated and digitalised smart grid can bring economic & environmental benefits to their local energy communities.

Technology

The platform developed in the project will consist on an integrated & digitalised Smart Grid. A cloud-based ICT solution that integrates high-flexibility distributed generation technologies, demand response, and energy storage to provide 100% potential energy autonomy. REACT will integrate knowledge gained from previous R&D activities with commercially available technologies to form a viable solution that will reduce GHG emissions, adapt to energy needs, and be easily replicated across the EU island community.

Technology Integration is an essential part of the project. REACT’s cloud-based platform will enable easy integration with RES/storage-based infrastructures using holistic planning, controlling, and monitoring strategy that maximises RES exploitation. Hardware-in-the-loop (HiL) laboratory testing will be pursued to test and evaluate in close to real-life conditions before actual deployment. An integrative energy optimiser algorithm that combines real-time optimisation of both multi-carrier energy supply and demand side of target energy infrastructure at household, building, or district level.

REACT will engage and involve the island residents in demand reduction and time-shifting activities that will raise their awareness and allow them to become an active part of the cooperative strategy.

Benefits

To grid operators and energy providers:

• Enhanced energy security
• Reduced maintenance costs
• Lower distribution losses
• Energy purchase at lower spot prices in a wholesale market
• A smoothened demand profile

To final consumers and island communities:

• Reduced energy prices
• Engagement in cooperative communities
• More reliable and secure energy supply

Impact

• 100% potential energy autonomy
• 60% potential reduction of GHG emissions & energy costs
• 10% energy savings
• A cooperative energy management strategy