The INLINE project aims at the solution of key challenges to enable the implementation of a scalable manufacturing process for fuel cell systems. Current manufacturing processes rely on manual work that has substantial limits in terms of cycle times, costs and scalability. Developments will start with the re-design and optimization of two key components: the media supply unit and the tank valve regulator. Both are components that are currently difficult to manufacture and are perceived as bottlenecks in the production process. Based on these new designs, an integrated production line will be planned using simulation tools. These tools will enable the evaluation of different layouts, part flow strategies and for different production scenarios. In terms of manufacturing tools, the end of line test will be improved to reduce cycle times by a factor of 3 and assistance systems for assembly stations will be developed that will enable scalability by reducing the need for training of workers. The overall target is to reduce the cycle time for production of a whole fuel cell system from 15 hours to less than 2.5 hours. Data gathering and analysis methods will be developed to enable the tracking of parts through the production line and - through a correlation of process and quality data - the continuous improvement of the production process. Demonstration of the end of line test and the assistance system will be done in hardware. The whole production line will be evaluated using a simulation tool that has been verified on the current production process. A set of engineering samples of the re-designed tank valve regulator and the media supply unit will be produced and used for tests of the integrated fuel cells and for assessment of the whole production process.A potential of 250 new jobs in manufacturing of fuel cells and for production of the key components will be generated by the project.

Battery2Life will facilitate the smooth transition of batteries to 2nd life use and boost the innovation of the European Battery Industry by providing enablers to implement open adaptable smart BMSes and improved system designs and proposing methods for the efficient and reliable reconfiguration of used batteries. Battery2Life introduces two new battery system design frameworks serving the upcoming market needs: the first supports the business transition for the initial market by restructuring existing battery design patterns while the second one introduces completely new design principles for 1st and 2nd life of the battery. A completely new BMS design mentality is introduced to the battery industry by delivering an open and interoperable hybrid BMS architecture (with an Embedded and a Cloud section) leading the transition from technology-driven BMS designs, to serve the needs of specific applications and battery technologies, to new data-driven and application-agnostic BMS designs, that can be easily adapted and updated to serve the requirements of different battery technologies and any 2nd life battery stationary storage application. Furthermore, Battery2Life introduces innovative embedded sensing and more accurate SOX estimation algorithms, new SOX indicators appropriate for 2nd life use -i.e. SOS (safety) and SOW (warranty) - and a new EIS implementation approach by integrating it in the BMS, that will enable the detailed safety and reliability monitoring at both cell and module level during 1st and 2nd life usage. The project will specify an open BMS concept, data formats, taking into account and extending the battery passport concept, and interoperable communication via the cloud platform to third parties including the future passport exchange system, to facilitate monitoring and assessment. The project prototypes will be demonstrated within the context of two business cases, i.e. domestic storage application and utility-scale load levelling one.

Reliable and efficient electricity supply to geographically distributed customers is the main task of the Distribution System Operators (DSOs). An increasing number of grid-related data sources is in principle accessible to DSOs, but this information is in most cases not yet utilized for grid operation. Leveraging measurements and ICT reachability of Smart Meters and grid connected systems (such as Intelligent Electronic Devices) for digital distribution grid operation is challenging as it requires resilient and secure data collection, and data-quality aware processing and distribution system control solutions. The Net2DG project will develop a proof-of-concept solution based on off-the-shelf computing hardware that uses existing communication technologies to leverage measurement capabilities of Smart Meters and DER inverters deployed in low-voltage (LV) grids. The solution will correlate this data with information from existing DSO subsystems in order to provide novel LV grid observability applications for voltage quality, grid operation efficiency and LV grid outage diagnosis. The resulting observability is subsequently used by specifically developed robust control and coordination approaches, which utilize existing actuation capabilities for voltage quality enhancement and loss minimization in the LV grid. The use of off-the shelf components, the system level resilience and security solution, and the offered customizability of the Net2DG approach specifically address the needs of small and medium-sized DSOs (less than 100.000 clients). Therefore, the Net2DG solution will make small and medium-sized DSOs early adopters of digital technologies for LV outage diagnosis, grid operation efficiency and voltage quality. The Net2DG solutions will be developed by a consortium including two small and medium-sized DSOs from two different European countries, academic partners, SME and startup technology companies, as well as Smart Meter and inverter vendors.

The aim of the PV-Prosumers4Grid project is to develop and implement innovative self-consumption and aggregation concepts and business models for PV prosumers that will help integrating sustainable and competitive electricity from PV in the electricity system. The benefits of the PV-Prosumers4Grid action will be therefore threefold: • To identify the necessary regulatory changes and the business opportunities for PV prosumers and grid operators • To further support the deployment PV systems for electricity generation with focus on physical and financial grid interactions • To provide PV Prosumers (households and industries) with competitive and sustainable electricity Innovative self-consumption and aggregation concepts and business models for PV generation are extremely needed nowadays. At the time being many EU Member States have drastically reduced measures to further support the development of the RES sector, even though several projects have clearly demonstrated the need to maintain the policies to support RES until when a consolidated competitiveness has been achieved. Such competetiveness for variable RES will depend on the ability of the existing or future electricity markets to provide them with adequate revenues, whatever the size of the plant. In addition, the variable aspect of PV doesn’t allow them by nature to bid on the market at chosen times, with a possible and already visible impact on the market prices. The consequence could be that under such conditions, their competitiveness will become more difficult to achieve unless the consumers could become more responsive to price signals and allow to displace the load. Moreover, the new state aid guidelines published in April 2014 by the European Commission are pushing for further integration of renewable sources into the electricity markets, which will require from RES to cope with market integration, more constraining grid codes and balancing regulations.