Transnational cooperation to exploit information technologies and link small energy systems

COPOWER, 'Community-based Virtual Power Plant (cVPP)' project, has officially kicked off in Donegal (Ireland). Funded by the Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme 2021 - 2027, COPOWER aims to develop a cVPP and a viable business model to support it in five communities in Finland, Iceland, Ireland and the Faroe Islands. The first partnership meeting took place in Buncrana, on 20th and 21st of June, to discuss the most immediate project actions. Partners agreed on plans, coordination of work packages and deliverables, project and financial reporting, quality standards, and communication requirements. 

The meeting commenced with the introduction of all partner organisations and regions, their motivation to join and their expertise in the field. During the next three years, the ERNACT network (lead partner) will work together with Donegal County Council (Ireland), Nolsoy Energy Ltd (Faroe Islands), Centria University of Applied Sciences and University of Oulu (Finland) and University of Iceland to exploit information technologies to link multiple small energy systems and operate them in coordination like a utility-scale power station to balance electricity demand and production.

The design of the cVPP commences
Coordinated by partners at Centria UAS, the partnership has already begun co-designing the cVPP. "By co-designing the transnational community-based Virtual Power Plant model, we will aggregate distributed generation and flexibility, and simulate energy flows, weather conditions and price changes in five Northern Periphery and Arctic areas to help maximise interconnectedness", explained Dr Caitriona Strain, ERNACT Programme Manager and COPOWER Project Leader. The model will be jointly developed and implemented by all project partners. "It will be capable of integrating several distributed energy solutions, collecting, analysing and communicating real-time energy data from various sources, including weather forecasts, and facilitating communication between all energy stakeholders", she continues.

In total, 20 partner organisations will work together across borders; 6 project partners and 14 associate partners who will all cooperate transnationally in the co-design and joint development of project activities and outputs. 

In addition, partners have started discussing the strategy to engage the key stakeholders in the participating regions, mapping local Distributed Energy Resources (DER) and defining the necessary technology tools, data, and security measures.

Stay tuned! COPOWER partner Centria UAS will host a thematic seminar in December 2023 entitled 'The power of young people in the energy revolution'. The seminar aims to raise awareness among young people and explore how they can lead the energy revolution.