In a big step toward a more independent and sustainable energy future, the ECLIPSE DIGITAL PROJECT, led by the company ETRA, recently organised the workshop called “From Data to Action: How Digitalisation Accelerates the Energy Transition.”
The event brought together five major EU-funded projects to show how digitalization is transforming Europe’s energy system, from a traditional, centralized model to a more digital, flexible, and decentralized ecosystem.
A Unified Vision for a European “Digital backbone”
The workshop opened with a keynote from Ms. Patricia Arsene (European Commission, DG CONNECT), highlighting
the European Commission’s strategic push for a “digital backbone” of the EU energy system. This vision focuses on the digital orchestration of energy assets, such as renewables, electric vehicles, and batteries, ensuring they can intercommunicate seamlessly. The goal is ensuring interoperability so that data can flow across borders to enable new services and maintain network stability, throughout Europe.
ECLIPSE DIGITAL PROJECT: Connecting Consumers to the Energy Transition
At the heart of this digital transformation is the ECLIPSE DIGITAL PROJECT, which is developing the Common European Reference Framework (CERF) for energy applications. The CERF defines the common requirements and conditions for consumers energy apps to operate across countries, grids, and third‑party systems without compatibility issues. Its purpose is to make digital energy services interoperable, secure, user-friendly, and beneficial for both consumers and the grid.
During the workshop, the ECLIPSE DIGITAL PROJECT team showed a pioneering mobile energy app based on CERF, that serves as a practical example of how the CERF can be implemented to provide:
- Real-time Monitoring: Users can track hourly power consumption and local grid status.
- AI-Powered Insights: Utilizing Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring (NILM), the app can disaggregate total household consumption into individual appliances, like fridges or heaters, without the need for additional sensors.
- Flexibility Recommendations: Consumers receive personalized tips and notifications to reduce loads during peak times, helping to stabilize the grid while lowering energy bills.
As described during the session, if the European data infrastructure represents the “pipelines,” the CERF serves as the “tap” where the value of that data is finally experienced by the citizen.
Collaborative Innovation Across the Sector
ECLIPSE DIGITAL PROJECT was joined by four other flagship European projects, each addressing a different layer of the transition:
- OPENTUNITY: Focused on software for grid operators, including an open-source Topology Converter to standardize grid data into the CIM format.
- ODEON: Developing cloud-edge platforms and a catalogue of AI artifacts to manage decentralized assets and increase data observability.
- BEGONIA: Identifying the digital infrastructure and “Operational Digital Platforms” needed for cross-border use cases like EV integration and data center optimization.
- INSIEME: Building the Common European Energy Data Space with 54 partners to ensure a “by the sector, for the sector” approach to data governance.
Breaking Barriers: Policy and Interoperability
The workshop concluded with a high-level panel discussing the hurdles to full-scale deployment. Experts emphasized that while technological solutions are often ready, national policy fragmentation and regulatory lags remain significant bottlenecks.
The consensus was clear: to ensure no citizen is left behind, technology must be transparent, and user-centric, providing tangible financial and environmental benefits.
Through the ECLIPSE DIGITAL PROJECT and its partners, Europe is moving toward a system where digitalization is no longer just a support tool, but the essential backbone of a competitive, resilient energy union.
About ECLIPSE DIGITAL PROJECT
Coordinated by a consortium of 22 partners and involving 15 pilot sites across Europe, ECLIPSE DIGITAL PROJECT is a 24-month project funded under the Digital Europe Programme. It aims to define and demonstrate a common framework for energy applications to foster interoperability and empower consumers in the energy transition.
Further information:
Twitter: https://x.com/Eclipse_DigiEU
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eclipse-digital-project
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Digital Europe Grant agreement Nº 101158494.
