Living Labs
Overview
To achieve significant impact, six Living Labs (LLs) in six different EU countries have been selected to cover a broad range of typologies, areas, and users. These LLs encompass a variety of energy assets and cross-sector domains, multiple climatic conditions (Köppen-Geiger), and geographic regions (EuroVoc). Integrated consumer services will be thoroughly tested across different entity types, including two large companies, two SMEs, one research organization, and one university as LL leaders in distinct international settings. This approach ensures representativeness, consumer acceptability, and replicability.
LL1: AI-powered renewable energy communities
Overview:
Cleanwatts Living Lab focuses on energy management strategies in a community of 40 residential homes, including apartments and single-family homes, covering 6000 m2. It integrates renewable energy units, batteries, EVs, and smart appliances like fridges and heat pumps.
Key Features:
- Cross-Sector Domains: Mobility, Comfort, Economy, Finance, Security
- Climate: Warm-Summer Mediterranean
- Region: Southern Europe
- Users: Diverse gender representation, middle socio-economic status
Goals:
To experiment advanced energy management strategies using AI and digital twin technology, aimed at optimizing energy use and integrating diverse energy and non-energy assets across homes.
Impact
To reduce energy costs (-40%), increase self-consumption (+35%), enhance comfort levels (+40%), cut CO2 emissions (-40%), and boost user engagement (+50%).
Photo Credit: EnergyVille/VITO
LL2: Addressing energy poverty and impacts on vulnerable consumers
Location: Genk, Belgium
Lead Organization: VITO
Overview:
EnergyVille (Open Thor) Living Lab focuses on 27 households in social housing, covering 3240 m2. It features rooftop PV, solar thermal collectors, heat pumps, storage solutions, and home batteries.
Key Features:
- Cross-Sector Domains: Comfort, Economy (economic vulnerability), Information, Environment (CO2 emissions), Health (indoor air quality)
- Climate: Oceanic/Marine
- Region: Western Europe
- Users: Diverse gender representation, predominantly low socio-economic status
Goals
The lab integrates production, storage, and renewable solutions, emphasizing electrification and indoor air quality monitoring. It aims at promoting co-creation workshops to enhance user adoption and energy literacy.
Impact
To improve comfort levels (+30%), support grid stability (+15%), and increase user engagement (+20%).
LL3: Energy flexibility and interoperability at the residential scale
Location: Northern Italy
Lead Organization: IREN
Overview
IREN Living Lab focuses on the setup of a testbed environment and 1-2 residential homes of IREN customers in Northern Italy, covering a total area of 200 m2. It includes controllable loads like household appliances, heat pumps, HVAC, inverters, and EV charging stations.
Key Features:
- Cross-Sector Domains: Mobility (EVs), Economy (market trading), User acceptance, Remote-control
- Climate: Humid Subtropical
- Region: Southern Europe
- Users: Diverse gender representation, mostly middle-high socio-economic status
Goals:
The LL will test interoperability between devices and communication protocols for remote control and digital services in demand response (DR) and energy flexibility at the residential level. It aims to scale up and replicate solutions and integrates AI-based digital tools.
Impact:
To increase self-consumption (+50%), support grid stability (+30%), and enhance user engagement (+40%).+20%), cut CO2 emissions (-30%), and enhance user engagement (+40%).
LL4: Empowering consumers for energy management
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Lead Organization: SSE Airtricity
Overview:
SSE Airtricity Living Lab comprises 5 smart family homes in Dublin, covering 450 m2. It features technologies like PVs, EVs, heat pumps, home energy storage, and power monitoring clamps.
Key Features:
- Cross-Sector Domains: Mobility (EVs), Economy (data economy), Security, User acceptance, Information, Weather (climate monitoring)
- Climate: Oceanic/Marine
- Region: Western Europe
- Users: Diverse gender representation, mostly middle-high socio-economic status
Goals:
The lab will empower consumers for active energy management and participation in the energy transition. It will focus on optimizing energy usage, maximizing self-consumption, and enabling grid support through innovative digital solutions and AI algorithms.
Impact:
To increase self-consumption (+30%), support grid stability (+50%), and enhance user engagement (+30%).
LL5: Smart energy services for multi-energy vectors
Location: Thessaloniki, Athens, Larisa, Volos (Greece)
Lead Organization: DOMX
Overview:
DomX Community Living Lab spans 100 households across four cities in Greece, covering 8000 m2. It integrates electricity (air-conditioners, heat pumps, white goods) and natural gas (space heating, hot water boilers) energy assets.
Key Features:
- Cross-Sector Domains: Comfort, User acceptance, Information, Environment (CO2 emissions), Health (indoor air quality), Maintenance
- Climate: Various climates from Cold Semi-Arid to Hot-Summer Mediterranean and Humid Subtropical
- Region: Southern Europe
- Users: Diverse gender representation with varied socio-economic statuses
Goals
The lab utilizes IoT-based monitoring and control devices for real-time management of energy and non-energy parameters. It features a cloud-based energy management platform for electricity and natural gas, enhancing engagement through a smartphone application.
Impact
To reduce costs (-30%), improve comfort levels (+20%), cut CO2 emissions (-30%), and enhance user engagement (+40%).
LL6: DT-enabled residential IoT microgrid
Location: Aalborg University, Denmark
Lead Organization: AAU
Overview:
IoT Microgrid Living Lab is located at Aalborg University, covering a smart home with a surface area of 60 m2 and accommodating up to 20 users. It integrates PV systems, wind turbines, lithium-ion batteries, fuel cells, and smart devices.
Key Features:
- Cross-Sector Domains: Comfort, Economy (cost-effective solutions), (Cyber)security, Information
- Climate: Oceanic/Marine that borders on Humid Continental
- Region: Northern Europe
- Users: Diverse gender representation, mostly middle-high socio-economic status
Goals:
The lab emulates residential microgrids with dispersed generation and storage, using real-time control platforms and multiple communication protocols. It employs FIWARE for digitalization, supports blockchain-enabled local energy marketplaces, and integrates DT-enabled, AI-powered energy management systems.
Impact:
To reduce costs (-30%), increase self-consumption (+40%), and enhance comfort levels (+30%).