**1. Introduction**

#### **1.1. The problem and the need**

The motivation for this research project stems from the ambitious target setting of the European Commission (EC) to reduce carbon dioxide. Its energy roadmap 2050 [1] suggests that by 2050, the European Union (EU) should cut greenhouse gas emissions to 80% below 1990 levels. Although all sectors—power generation, industry, transport, buildings, construction and agriculture—need to contribute to the low-carbon transition according to their technological and economic potential, the power sector has been identified to have the biggest potential for cutting emissions.

• Storage and conversion of electrical energy

today's and future grid challenges.

**1.2. The PLANET solution**

conversion technology models:

• power to heat (P2H) including

○ local power to heat (LP2H),

○ power to heat (P2H), and • virtual energy storage (VES).

• combined heat and power (CHP), and

○ centralised power to heat (CP2H),

• power to gas (P2G),

provision of heat) or be reconverted in electric energy.

The current modus operandi of the decoupled electricity/gas/heating networks must be changed in order to allow synergies between the energy networks. Excess electrical energy can be converted into gas or heat and be stored in the respective gas and heat networks. From there it can be used for the purpose of the respective energy network (generation/

The EU Research Project PLANET

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The PLANET project primarily focuses on the conversion of electrical energy and its storage in networks of other energy carriers. By doing so, it will also provide flexibility to the grid. This flexibility can be used for balancing purposes or for offering ancillary services to the grid. Furthermore, PLANET will provide the necessary ICT tools for policy makers and grid planners to guide future network expansion activities by allowing to evaluate if an investment in grid enhancement or conversion technologies or a combination of both is the best solution for

PLANET will facilitate the grid integration of a broad portfolio of decentralised storage/conversion solutions capable of providing different grid services via a unified and holistic framework for distribution grid planning, operation and management optimization. This solution contributes towards full integration of clean renewable energy resources by exploiting the potential of interconnections and synergies between different energy networks to increase flexibility of electricity demand and to align it with intermittent generation inherent to renewable energy resources. By doing so, it will add to the realisation of the fully integrated EU

A functional scheme of this integration is shown in **Figure 2**. It depicts models of the electric grid, the gas network and the district heating (DH) network interconnected by the following

CP2H refers to heat pumps (or other P2H equipment such as boilers) that are installed at the premises of the DH operator in order to heat the water that goes into the DH grid. LP2H refers to heat pumps that are installed in the premises of customers of the DH grid. Their operation can relieve the DH grid of some heat demand. Although it is in principle possible for LP2H to affect the temperature of the water of the DH grid, it is not intended in the project. Instead, the heat is consumed at the customer premises. VES implies the conversion to heat

internal energy market and is of course also apt of being utilised outside the EU.

It can almost totally eliminate CO2 emissions by 2050 (see **Figure 1**) [2]. To meet these aspiring aims, more renewable energy generation (wind, solar, water and biomass or other lowemission sources) is needed. As some of these resources are intermittent like wind and solar, their integration into the power grid calls for apt measures in order not to endanger system stability and reliability.

To accomplish the integration of renewables, there are three measures at hand:

• Enhancement of the grid

By establishing new power lines and enhancing existing ones, excess electrical energy can be transported from the centres of generation to the centres of demand avoiding bottlenecks.

• Provision and use of flexibility

Some decentralised energy resources (DER) such as combined heat and power plants (CHP) or an aggregation of them like photovoltaic (PV) systems with batteries and electric vehicles (EV) can provide flexibility to the grid, allowing for balancing generation and demand. By using flexibility of aggregated DER, curtailment of renewables can be avoided, and ancillary services (e.g. frequency and voltage support) can be provided.

**Figure 1.** Possible 80% cut in greenhouse gas emissions in the EU (100% = 1990).

• Storage and conversion of electrical energy

The current modus operandi of the decoupled electricity/gas/heating networks must be changed in order to allow synergies between the energy networks. Excess electrical energy can be converted into gas or heat and be stored in the respective gas and heat networks. From there it can be used for the purpose of the respective energy network (generation/ provision of heat) or be reconverted in electric energy.

The PLANET project primarily focuses on the conversion of electrical energy and its storage in networks of other energy carriers. By doing so, it will also provide flexibility to the grid. This flexibility can be used for balancing purposes or for offering ancillary services to the grid. Furthermore, PLANET will provide the necessary ICT tools for policy makers and grid planners to guide future network expansion activities by allowing to evaluate if an investment in grid enhancement or conversion technologies or a combination of both is the best solution for today's and future grid challenges.

#### **1.2. The PLANET solution**

**1. Introduction**

124 Smart Microgrids

**1.1. The problem and the need**

potential for cutting emissions.

stability and reliability.

• Enhancement of the grid

• Provision and use of flexibility

It can almost totally eliminate CO2

The motivation for this research project stems from the ambitious target setting of the European Commission (EC) to reduce carbon dioxide. Its energy roadmap 2050 [1] suggests that by 2050, the European Union (EU) should cut greenhouse gas emissions to 80% below 1990 levels. Although all sectors—power generation, industry, transport, buildings, construction and agriculture—need to contribute to the low-carbon transition according to their technological and economic potential, the power sector has been identified to have the biggest

ing aims, more renewable energy generation (wind, solar, water and biomass or other lowemission sources) is needed. As some of these resources are intermittent like wind and solar, their integration into the power grid calls for apt measures in order not to endanger system

By establishing new power lines and enhancing existing ones, excess electrical energy can be transported from the centres of generation to the centres of demand avoiding bottlenecks.

Some decentralised energy resources (DER) such as combined heat and power plants (CHP) or an aggregation of them like photovoltaic (PV) systems with batteries and electric vehicles (EV) can provide flexibility to the grid, allowing for balancing generation and demand. By using flexibility of aggregated DER, curtailment of renewables can be avoided,

To accomplish the integration of renewables, there are three measures at hand:

and ancillary services (e.g. frequency and voltage support) can be provided.

**Figure 1.** Possible 80% cut in greenhouse gas emissions in the EU (100% = 1990).

emissions by 2050 (see **Figure 1**) [2]. To meet these aspir-

PLANET will facilitate the grid integration of a broad portfolio of decentralised storage/conversion solutions capable of providing different grid services via a unified and holistic framework for distribution grid planning, operation and management optimization. This solution contributes towards full integration of clean renewable energy resources by exploiting the potential of interconnections and synergies between different energy networks to increase flexibility of electricity demand and to align it with intermittent generation inherent to renewable energy resources. By doing so, it will add to the realisation of the fully integrated EU internal energy market and is of course also apt of being utilised outside the EU.

A functional scheme of this integration is shown in **Figure 2**. It depicts models of the electric grid, the gas network and the district heating (DH) network interconnected by the following conversion technology models:

	- centralised power to heat (CP2H),
	- local power to heat (LP2H),
	- power to heat (P2H), and

CP2H refers to heat pumps (or other P2H equipment such as boilers) that are installed at the premises of the DH operator in order to heat the water that goes into the DH grid. LP2H refers to heat pumps that are installed in the premises of customers of the DH grid. Their operation can relieve the DH grid of some heat demand. Although it is in principle possible for LP2H to affect the temperature of the water of the DH grid, it is not intended in the project. Instead, the heat is consumed at the customer premises. VES implies the conversion to heat

**3. The development of a holistic decision support system** (DSS) that enables multi-grid operational planning and management taking into account synergies and energy flows between the electricity, gas and heat networks. The purpose is to identify and evaluate optimal strategies to deploy and operate conversion/storage systems on the distribution grids within boundary constraints of real deployments outlined in the future energy sys-

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**4. Policy and market model impact assessment and exploration** to evaluate the current regulatory landscape for the deployment of P2G and P2H storage/conversion solutions, as well as policy/market reform recommendations in order to pave the way for their deployment in a technology-neutral manner that ensures maximum benefits to society and the environment. Moreover, an activity of exploration and investigation of novel roles and business models in the energy market will be carried out to pave the way for the commercial exploitation of project results within the opportunities that arise from the existence of

In addition to the aforementioned core PLANET activities, a number of complementary activities will be carried out to investigate and facilitate the adoption and replication of the

**1. Preliminary business planning** to set out initial revenue models and go-to-market strategies for the innovative market actors that will assume the risk of bringing the PLANET solutions to the market through a long maturation process and cost structure improvement, building acceptance in society, establishing appropriate business models and go-

**2. Pre-design of ICT interfaces to the energy networks and devices** that will deliver grid services (P2G and P2H units, storage units, PCM, CHP units) in order to facilitate their effective operation within the electricity distribution grid in a coordinated manner that

**3. Definition and promotion of proposals for standardisation bodies** based on the aforementioned interfaces to strive for industrial consensus and to speedier and frictionless adoption by the entire energy system ecosystem, including network operators, equipment

Recently, the EU roadmaps outlined the requirement of a slew of technologies and solutions for maximising the capability of the electrical grid to safely host variable and intermittent renewable energy sources (VRES) generation in future energy systems. Actually, the majority of VRES generation in Europe is made available by large, centralised plants (mostly off-shore wind farms) connected to the transmission grid. In the mid-term future, though, the expected proliferation of distributed, variable, small-scale RES systems, aided by extensive policy incentives, can

vendors, energy retailers, actor marketing conversion/storage solutions, and so on.

to-market strategies and finally developing new products/services.

will enable the appropriate business actor to deliver valuable grid services.

tem scenarios.

PLANET products.

developed solutions. They include:

**2. The PLANET approach**

**2.1. Concept**

**Figure 2.** The PLANET energy flows, grid integration and energy conversions.

by means of human-centric thermal management. It leverages the thermal inertia of buildings and installed heating and cooling equipment for the maximum human comfort. Variable and intermittent renewable energy sources (VRES) feed energy into the electric grid. From there, electric energy is converted with one of the conversion technologies, and the transformed energy is fed either into the gas network, the electric grid, or the DH network (indicated by the arrows). In case of CHPs, it is assumed that they are gas-driven and that hence their input energy comes from the gas network. The cogeneration technology allows CHPs to bring synergies among networks as they simultaneously generate heat and electric power that can then be fed into the corresponding heat network and electric grid. Besides, **Figure 2** shows the experimental test sites and their coverage of conversion technology models. These test sites will provide real data for conversion model verification and calibration. Data from the IREN [Italian distribution system operator (DSO)] and SOREA (French DSO) test sites are provided for the Electric Grid Simulator of POLITO (Italian university) which derives models for the networks out of it. The PLANET solution is based on the following four core activity lines:


In addition to the aforementioned core PLANET activities, a number of complementary activities will be carried out to investigate and facilitate the adoption and replication of the developed solutions. They include:

