Borzen is very much involved in the events of the Slovenian and European energy market. We believe that the integration and collaboration of different actors, along with their skills and experience, can create added value.
Listed below are some projects in which we were or still are participating.
BD4NRG: Big Data for Next Generation Energy
In the beginning of 2021, the BD4NRG: Big Data for Next Generation Energy was launched under the EU’s multiannual framework program for research and innovation, the so-called Horizon 2020. The project consists of 34 partners from 15 European countries. In addition to Borzen, the consortium from Slovenia also includes the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of Ljubljana, ELES, Elektro Ljubljana and Comsensus. The project integrates the area that offers many untapped opportunities for energy market participants in exploiting the large amount of data generated by the operation of energy systems and the opportunities by the new field of artificial intelligence. These opportunities can be used to improve decision-making powers and the operation of energy systems and markets, as well as to take decisions on planning investments and network operations in the future.
The vision and main objective of the BD4NRG project is to develop and demonstrate an innovative modular analytical energy-oriented tool for smart grids, which will manage large amounts of data (“Big Data”) with high time granularity, as well as near-real-time transmissions. This aims to achieve the support for technical and economical optimal performance of the electronic system. This will include optimal risk management to achieve energy efficiency, investment planning, optimal energy infrastructure management, as well as improved efficiency and reliability of the electricity grid. All this will contribute to the fair pricing of electricity for consumers, while, essentially, ensuring the energy-data sharing.
Borzen will participate in one of the large-scale pilots in cooperation with Elektro Ljubljana and Comsensus. The objective of the pilot is to show the coordinated operation of network elements and elements connected behind the electricity meter in order to improve the operation of the network and, at the same time, account for the operation of one segment of the electricity market as close as possible to real time. The project also addresses the issue of aggregators, which is one of the key elements of the forthcoming change in the market model in accordance with the “Clean Energy for All Europeans” package. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.
NEDO – Fleks: Full use of flexibility
The main objective of the project is to develop and demonstrate advanced solutions for flexibility and sustainability of the electricity and smart communities. Including battery storage system, control system, advanced WAMS algorithms, new modules for the field energy management system, information platform and upgraded electricity services market platform.
Amount of the total costs of the operation: 8,159,497.50 EUR; amount of co-financing: 1,228,918.25 EUR.
The investment is co-financed by the Republic of Slovenia and the EU from the European Regional Development Fund (www.eu-skladi.si)
KOC Energy – Competence center for human resources development in energy
Between 2 September 2019 and 31 May 2022, Borzen will participate in the KOC Energy project or partnership, where the common interest is the establishment of a system of continuous professional training, knowledge transfer between companies, networking and development of new business relationships and mutual projects between partners in connection with R&R and educational organizations, reducing costs, optimizing business performance, raising added value, higher profits and greater competitiveness. The total value of the project is 550,000 EUR, with the fund co-financing from 50% to 70% depending on the size of the company. From that, Borzen is entitled to 50% co-financing in the total amount of 15,000 EUR.
The aim of the project is to develop key competencies of the future, acquire specific knowledge and skills of employees, raise awareness of the need for lifelong learning, a unified approach to staff development for future challenges, increasing competitiveness of employees and companies, long-term partnership with expanding network of partners, increased investment in R&R, unified market presence and establishment of dialogue with the public (policy decision makers, education system, research institutions).
The purpose of the project is to improve the competencies, productivity, creativity and innovation of employees and to strengthen the competitiveness of the economy.
The operation is co-financed by the Republic of Slovenia and the European Union from the European Social Fund.
PROJECT FARCROSS
Project Farcross (FAcilitating Regional CROSS-border Electricity Transmission through Innovation) was successful at the H2020 tender LC-SC3-2018-2019-2020 (Building a low-carbon, climate resilient future: secure, clean and efficient energy). A consortium of 30 companies, including Borzen, is led by the Greek company Ubitech.
The basic purpose of the project is to optimize the use of physical (cross-border) electricity infrastructure with the aim of developing solutions that would increase possible power flows on the same physical infrastructure (cross-border lines). In order to achieve goals in the field of energy, the European Union must create the best possible functioning internal market, and one of the main obstacles is suboptimal cross-border connections. A large market facilitates competition and improves security of supply, as it facilitates, among other things, the integration of renewable energy sources into the system. To this end, cross-border electric power system infrastructure should operate similarly to internal infrastructure, while in practice this is often not the case (for example changing cross-border capacity allocation due to internal network problems). The FARCROSS project will approach this from the point of view of the development of new hardware and software solutions that would enable better use of infrastructure, as well as through the review of possible obstacles in regulation.
The project received funding from the development and innovation program of the European Union Horizon 2020, under the Grant Agreement no. 864274; tender number LC-SC3-ES-2-2019.
The project has started on October 1, 2019 and will last for 48 months.
PAKT PROJECT
Period of implementation of the operation was from 1 July 2017 – 31 August 2020. The name of the operation was Smart devices, models and platforms in the active Acronym network.
The purpose of the operation was first; support for research and development and innovation activities for the implementation of demonstration projects of companies aimed at the development and testing or demonstration of new or improved products, processes or services in the real environment in the priority area of the Slovenian Smart Specialization Strategy “Smart Cities and Communities”, focused area was “Energy conversion, distribution and management. And second; testing or demonstration of new or improved products, processed or services developed in a real environment within a demonstration project.