The ODEON project, led by the Spanish company ETRA, is developing a cloud-to-edge platform for data and intelligent services as well as associated energy data rooms. The project partners develop solutions for the management, provision, processing and exchange of energy data in a secure environment. Specifically, decentralised and interoperable data “sandboxes” shall facilitate the trustworthy exchange of data between the stakeholders involved, who will retain sovereignty over their own data. The ODEON technologies are intended to dismantle the conventional barriers and concerns regarding data protection, confidentiality, cyber security and data silos.

The background behind this project is the interplay between digitalisation and sustainability, the so-called “twin transition”: the European Union has committed to advance both transformations and create synergies. At the same time, the EU's energy system needs to be organised in a more flexible and resilient manner: The increasing diversification and decentralisation of energy sources requires new digital technologies and components, which will be developed at ODEON. Another consequence is the democratisation of the energy market, in which more and more actors are participating, for example as electricity providers. This creates new challenges in terms of controllability and operational complexity, particularly at the “edges” of the energy system.

Smart grids and services for end consumers

The key requirements of this platform under development in the ODEON project are stable grid operation and efficient energy management as well as intelligent services for the administration and maintenance of grid systems. Data-based services for end consumers will also be integrated. For example, ODEON will test personalised energy analyses and services that reduce energy consumption in smart homes or optimise the bidirectional charging of electric vehicles.

A central building block is a marketplace for energy data that links suppliers and consumers. ODEON provides technological mechanisms that enable all participants to find the right offers for their demand, conclude the associated contracts electronically and subsequently exchange the data. The Digital Public Services (DPS) business unit of Fraunhofer FOKUS contributes its expertise in data management to ODEON and is responsible for the development of the marketplace for energy data. The basis for this is piveau®, a software developed by DPS for the preparation, integration, publication and cataloguing of data.

EU-wide demonstrators for testing and validation

Five demonstrators will test and validate the ODEON technologies in Greece, Spain, France, Denmark and Ireland under real-life conditions - in both large cities and rural areas. The demonstrators involve all key actors in the energy value chain, including energy producers, operators of distribution grids and electricity storage systems, prosumers and consumers. In addition, various systems such as power plants, transformer stations, grids, electric vehicles and buildings will be integrated in different market environments.