Project wins European Sustainable Energy Award for helping communities save energy through smart technology

[Meet the other 2022 European Sustainable Energy Awards winners]

Today, in Brussels, MUSE GRIDS was awarded the European Sustainable Energy Award 2022 in the Innovation category. The award recognises outstanding ongoing or recently completed EU-funded projects that show an original and innovative path toward the clean energy transition. European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, met with the four award winners to congratulate them at the awards ceremony on the first day of the European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW), the biggest annual event dedicated to renewables and energy efficiency in Europe. ​

MUSE GRIDS is an EU-funded project that is integrating energy-intensive municipal services such as water, electricity, natural gas, and heating and cooling networks into a smart energy system. This enables greater control, energy savings and affordable local renewable energy generation for self-consumption. At the project’s two demo sites in Osimo, a hilltop town in Italy, and Oud-Heverlee, a rural neighbourhood in Belgium, up to 90% of energy needs are now being covered by residents’ own local renewable energy production and through optimisation of use and distribution.

‘MUSE GRIDS, validates solutions for the decarbonisation of the local energy system while ensuring a positive impact on the centralised energy infrastructure, local economy and local social aspects, and air quality,’ says Fabiola Roccatagliata, Project Coordinator of MUSE GRIDS. ​

‘We have implemented some really exciting technologies such as a neighbourhood battery, electrical smart heating, and vehicle-to-grid chargers,’ explains Matthijs Doclo, Project Manager at ENGIE Laborolec. ‘The MUSE GRIDS controller looks at the production and consumption of the whole community. When there is too much production, we charge the car and then later in the evening we will discharge the car back to the house, so the owners can use the green electricity for their evening consumption.’

In addition to the two demo sites, international virtual demo sites in Spain, India and Israel are taking part in the project. This allows the team to monitor results in real-time and in real-life applications under different circumstances. Such testing allows the project to adapt the solutions better to the local needs of the communities, laying a groundwork for a replicable methodology.

‘Through the project we developed management and planning tools, with which the community can understand how energy use can be optimised across all the assets that are connected to the smart energy system,’ adds Fabiola Roccatagliata.

The project, funded under the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme, responds to the EU’s long-term goal of climate neutrality by 2050. Such actions are delivering on the European Green Deal, and more urgently, supporting the REPowerEU Plan to accelerate the clean energy transition and increase Europe’s energy independence.

MUSE GRIDS was one of three finalists shortlisted for the European Sustainable Energy Awards 2022 in the Innovation category. The other finalists in the Innovation category are Beccs Stockholm and ENVISION. ​

©MUSE GRIDS©MUSE GRIDS

©MUSE GRIDS

©MUSE GRIDS

About the European Sustainable Energy Awards

The European Sustainable Energy Awards recognise outstanding individuals and projects for their innovation and efforts in energy efficiency and renewables. Prizes are awarded following a public vote in four categories: Innovation, Local Energy Action, Woman in Energy, and Young Energy Trailblazer. Finalists are chosen by a high-level jury from a shortlist of the year’s most successful projects and actions for clean, secure and efficient energy.

Meet the other 2022 European Sustainable Energy Awards winners

EUSEW 2022 

The European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) takes place on 26 to 30 September 2022 under the theme ‘Going green and digital for Europe’s energy transition’. EUSEW brings thousands of sustainable energy stakeholders together both in Brussels and online to discuss Europe’s energy independence ambitions and climate goals through the REPowerEU Plan’s measures of energy savings, digitalisation, diversification of energy supplies and an accelerated roll-out of renewables. ​ ​ 

There is still time to attend EUSEW 2022. Media and participants can access the event online until 30 September. ​ 

For interview requests with the European Sustainable Energy Awards 2022 winners or additional media information, please contact [email protected].