Platone, an acronym for PLATform for Operation of distribution NEtworks, is a four-year Horizon 2020 project. It involves an international consortium of energy and IT experts, which works jointly to develop solutions to make flexible power generation and consumption a tradable good.

Unlocking these flexibilities allows integrating more renewable energies while maintaining grid stability. And in consequence to realize an open and non-discriminatory market, linking users, aggregators and operators.

Project coordinator Antonello Monti, University Professor and Director of the Institute for Automation of Complex Power Systems at RWTH Aachen University says, “Platone is unique in its approach. While creating open and fair conditions for all the stakeholders in managing flexibility, it promotes a tight interaction between markets and operation. This tight link is critical for the grid of the future where the dynamics will be faster requiring more and more real-time services and a high level of awareness for the operators.”

Platone solutions will be implemented and tested in three of the participating countries:

In the Italian case, Acea Energia S.p.A., represented by Areti S.p.A., with the support of Siemens, experienced Engineering – Ingegneria Informatica S.p.A. and start-up Apio S.r.l., will implement a local flexibility market in the metropolitan area of Rome.

The objective of the German field test is to implement a flexibility management instance balancing generation and demand within an energy community to a virtual island.

“The energy transition is only possible if customers are involved. And that's why I wish to emphasize that one key element of the Platone project is to create the condition for customers to be involved in the energy system”

Antonello Monti

And finally the Greek demonstration will take place in the Mesogeia area, which is considered suitable for demonstration purposes since it has a good penetration of various types of renewable energy sources, provides a mix of rural, urban and suburban areas with a customer mix including households and small, medium and large industries.

According to Antonello Monti, “the more renewables we have in the grid, the more flexibility will play a role. And with Platone we wish to create the conditions to access as much flexibility as possible in the distribution grid, as well as to create fair data management”.

Moreover, one of the main points of the Platone platform “is to facilitate the better use of the infrastructure we already have”.

Listen to the full discussion and find out also how Platone assists both the local DSOs and TSOs by providing them solutions for their ever growing needs.