News

In order to make the smart energy transition a reality, different EU projects came together under the #SmartEnergyCluster to mutually support each other on developing, conceptualising and deploying new business models and concepts which fully tap the economic value and the wider benefits of integrated services.

After three years from its establishment and the creation of a dedicated website, the group continues to scale its impact, bridging the gap between research, policy, and market-ready energy solutions.

The journey toward a climate-neutral Europe is not a solo mission. It requires a synchronised effort across digitalisation, building renovation, consumer engagement, and grid flexibility. This is the core philosophy of the Smart Energy Cluster, a collaborative hub that has recently expanded to include a new wave of ambitious projects, now amounting to 35 ongoing projects and 23 ended.

The cluster is working together in the framework of dissemination, communication and exploitation of the projects activities and results, aiming at engaging interested and common target groups. These collaborative actions also aims to multiply the impacts of the benefits of each project, including for example, the integration of new and smart service offers, reduced energy costs for end-users and payback times of investments into sustainable energy.

The 35 projects that are now part of the #SmartEnergyCluster are presented below:

• InEExS: The core concept of the LIFE project InEExS is the deployment of integrated energy services across sectors and carriers, and the tokenization of energy saving data in a public blockchain to facilitate cooperation among market segments and actors. InEExS improves the implementation of Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) Art7 and supports Obligated Parties to provide integrated service offers that enable energy savings, system efficiency and include non-energy benefits. Particular attention is placed on the development of business models and contractual schemes that facilitate the implementation of sector-integrating smart energy services and the deployment of a wide range of sustainable technologies, such as renewables (RES), electric vehicles (EVs), heat pumps, internet of things (IoT) controls and other energy efficiency (EE) measures.
• PROBONO envisions to establish a people-focused European construction industry, by working in harmony with the broader community of stakeholders, to deliver scalable, sustainable, and viable energy-positive and zero-carbon Green Buildings and Neighbourhoods (GBN). PROBONO will provide strong examples of how Green Building Neighbourhoods’ technological and social innovations can be applied, with a vision focused on building infrastructure and a renewed focus on people and sustainability, taking full advantage of digitalization and smart technologies for the benefit of society.
• Dedalus: The EU-funded project DEDALUS aims to design, develop, and demonstrate an SSH-driven multi-value energy carrier agnostic demand response ecosystem, tailored to optimize and manage automated Demand response in residential buildings.
• Crete Valley: CRETE VALLEY aims to create a Renewable Energy Valley ‘Living Lab’ (REV-Lab) in Crete. It is envisioned as a decentralised renewable energy system that combines leading-edge ICT technologies, interoperable and open digital solutions (including data sovereignty), social innovation processes, and sound business models that are easy to adopt. CRETE VALLEY will demonstrate a digitalised, distributed, renewable, low carbon landscape that is affordable for all and fully covers the local energy needs on an annual basis, utilizing multiple renewable energy carriers and leveraging energy storage technologies.
• Enpower: Enpower will design, develop, and demonstrate methodologies for data-driven, interactive, and closed-loop tools and services based on Smart Sustainable Homes (SSH) for energy-active citizens and energy-secure inter-sectoral communities towards a citizen-centric energy system.
• MODERATE: MODERATE will develop an open platform for this purpose, making use of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and the internet of things (IoT).
• FORTESIE: FORTESIE project will develop building renovation packages tailored to meet the needs of different target groups and optimised for improved energy performance, CO2 reduction and increased comfort levels. These renovation packages will combine state of the-art construction materials and technologies, including prefabricated facades, building-integrated photovoltaics and heat pumps. Overall, FORTESIE aims to accelerate the Renovation Wave in Europe and promote more sustainable practices in the building industry.
• Reschool: RESCHOOL project will consider energy communities as a way to bring together and empower active consumers and prosumers as relevant energy stakeholders. The project will encourage citizen engagement, and facilitate their interaction with the grid as flexibility providers and their participation in electricity markets. RESCHOOL will deliver solutions and tools designed to support energy and flexibility management and interaction based on collaborative and gamification strategies.
• Hedge-IoT: The objective is to facilitate the orchestrated operation of energy systems with increased flexibility, through the HEDGE-IoT Reference Architecture, which aims to establish functional interconnectivity among IoT/edge devices and fog/cloud platforms.
• HYCOOL-IT: The purpose is to develop a set of processes supported by both digital and technical equipment innovative solutions for an efficient and reliable development of IT Server Rooms for advanced tertiary buildings, with a special focus on its replicability through standardisation. In parallel, a highly innovative Rack-integrated adsorption chiller for waste-heat powered server cooling is developed and optimised to carry out efficient liquid cooling of IT servers and, simultaneously, provide cooling to the server room itself in a compact, self-contained, and cost-effective way.
• DECODIT will develop digital services to support citizens on decision making for participating in the energy transition through co-created services and customer journeys. It will deliver tools that clearly present concrete, personalised & comparable propositions to citizens for future-proofing their homes based on federated, data-driven services from multiple, diverse service providers.
• BuildON: The main objective of BuildON is to develop and demonstrate a Smart Transformer Toolbox at TRL8 to plan and achieve improved energy performance applicable to the broadest range of building typologies and smart readiness levels via a comprehensive demonstration campaign involving five representative real-life use cases.
• DataWise: The overall objective is to develop and test building and building portfolio management tools, leveraging cross-sectoral lifecycle data, on the basis of an open, secure, interoperable, and scalable framework, to maximize both energy efficiency and stakeholder value. Utilizing cutting-edge artificial intelligence and advanced analytics, the methodology integrates data from a variety of sources to provide a holistic understanding of building operations. Besides technological innovation, the project also incorporates a supportive market and policy framework designed to offer evidence-based pathways for widespread adoption and commercialization.
• MetaBuild: META BUILD aims to decarbonise heating and cooling energy in buildings in line with the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), the Repower EU objectives and the “Fit-for-55” package. To do this, different innovative solutions will be developed and integrated into future-proof buildings towards the full decarbonization of the European building stock by 2050
• GINNGER (Governance, social INNovation and dIGital tools for the sustaiNable transition of European neIGhbourhoods) aims to promote inclusive, sustainable, and people-centered urban regeneration across Europe. By combining co-creation methodologies, digital innovation, and multi-level governance, GINNGER supports municipalities and citizens in designing more inclusive and resilient neighborhoods. The project is implemented through six pilot cities—Langreo, Plovdiv, Massagno, Murcia, Orte, and Paris—each tackling local challenges such as energy efficiency, social housing, smart mobility, and community empowerment.
• WeForming: It aims at the creation of a comprehensive regulatory blueprint and evidence-based policy recommendations. With the development of guidelines aligned with decarbonization goals where buildings can actively contribute to the energy system without unnecessary barriers.
• i-STENTORE will examine the integration of diverse storage solutions and their combinations. Innovative storage systems will be showcased and their co-operation with the integrated assets will be co-optimized, placing the reliability, the power quality, the cost- efficient operation and the maximization of the assets’ lifetime as end-goals. i-STENTORE will introduce an umbrella framework to showcase stand-alone and hybrid storage solutions highlighting the multi-purpose use of storage, and embrace the introduction of novel business models, towards building positive and attractive business cases for storage, identifying new revenue streams for storage operators and promoting storage systems as a facilitator of the energy transition. This approach will develop and validate the enhanced connectivity of multiple systems at different levels of the energy value chain, incorporating both front-of-the-meter and behind-the-meter solutions, targeting the essential empowerment of new actors and the strategic shift of the role of storage.
• Inherit: The overall vision is to develop and demonstrate next-generation solutions to improve historic buildings’ energy and resource consumption, climate resilience, accessibility, and inclusiveness. The project will provide 11 services for the management of such buildings, driven by information and communication technologies (ICTs), and associated with social and behavioural practices.
• ReLIFE aims to make high quality data more accessible in the EU building sector, by creating an easy-to-use, open-source platform that acts as a central resource for important information about buildings in Europe, including financial and technical details. The ultimate goal is to increase the rate of major renovations in homes, helping to create a more sustainable and efficient future for all.
• DR-RISE: This project promotes demand response (DR) benefits in the residential sector, targeting end-consumers, the energy system, and stakeholders. Its goal is to enhance energy efficiency through comprehensive tools and services, empowering citizens to make informed energy decisions. Beyond economic gains, DR-RISE highlights the broader advantages of DR, encouraging active consumer participation by providing tools to manage comfort, risk, and operational choices effectively. This initiative aligns with the EU’s vision of sustainable and informed energy consumption.
• EnerTef: In a nutshell, EnerTEF’s primary goal is to establish a Common Federated AI Testing and Experimentation Facility to bridge the gap between demand and limited availability of rigorously tested AI products and facilitating extensive adaptation, validation, and upscale of AI tools and services across the energy sector. The project’s network of five primary nodes, complemented by three satellites, ensures a comprehensive approach to testing AI-based technologies in real-world operational environments. This setup contributes to the market uptake of trustworthy AI, ensuring their readiness, accessibility, and applicability to real-world scenarios,
• SMARTeeSTORY increases sustainable and energy efficient building stock in Europe by implementing smart energy efficiency solutions in 3 historical buildings in Delft, Granada, and Riga. The SRI indicator is applied onto historical buildings to guide the interventions, while a webtool to help assessing the SRI of a building will be created. SMARTeeSTORY also prioritizes user centricity, taking into account the user comfort dimensions.
• REN+HOMES takes the lead in developing a universal methodology for positive energy homes and residential districts. The project aims to contribute to a sustainable transition by not only reducing carbon emissions but also addressing resource scarcity and energy poverty. It focuses on deploying a range of widely available and affordable key technologies (KTs), developing highly replicable technology packages (TPs), and integrating software solutions to streamline processes. REN+HOMES has set a goal to develop 23 solutions, including 9 hardware, 7 software, and 7 circular plus energy homes (CPEH) methodologies for positive energy buildings.
• BlueBird aims to improve energy efficiency and user engagement in buildings by integrating them with energy carrier networks and empowering end-users and building managers. The project will use innovative business models and trading tools to optimize comfort and reduce costs. It will also analyze the impact of control, predictability, and personalized settings on energy savings and user empowerment. The project will demonstrate these concepts in various settings, with the goal of inspiring widespread adoption. The project also aims to redefine the interaction between users and energy systems, promoting a synergy between energy efficiency and comfort and ensure that the benefits of clean energy and improved well-being are accessible to all, reducing disparities and energy poverty.
• CELINE: Energy communities are reshaping the energy landscape, enabling citizens, businesses, and local authorities to co-manage renewable energy resources. However, they face barriers such as limited market access, a lack of digital tools, and fragmented data. Public concerns about data management and integration of energy data across sectors highlight the need for clear regulatory and technical frameworks. The EU-funded project CELINE is developing a user-friendly harmonised digital framework to support local energy production, consumption, and market participation, empowering communities with better energy management tools.
• SmartCORE introduces innovative energy management solutions for energy communities across North-West Europe. These solutions make it easier to use renewable energy more efficiently through strategies like energy sharing and optimised self-consumption, while also supporting the grid with services such as balancing and congestion management.
• Enflate: The objective of the project is to accelerate the decarbonisation of the energy system in accordance with the European Commission’s Clean Energy Package and Fit for 55 goals. Pilot demonstrations are being conducted in Greece, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland, involving local consumers, transmission and distribution system operators (TSOs and DSOs), market operators, regulatory authorities, service providers, manufacturers, and academia. ENFLATE’s objectives also include the development of efficient business models that combine energy services with health and mobility services, ensuring interoperability with existing data platforms.
• COSMIC brings together industry leaders, technology providers, and innovators to develop and scale AI-driven solutions supporting the EU Green Deal. Through 15 real-world pilots across Europe, COSMIC demonstrates how advanced technologies can optimise energy use, enhance resource efficiency, and accelerate the green transition. The project addresses critical sustainability challenges in energy, industry, transport, and circular economy across eight key innovation areas: industrial and residential energy efficiency, smart resource management, sustainable building performance, circular economy, green transport, and inclusive renewable energy transition. Each pilot applies data-driven AI innovations in practical settings, showcasing their potential to drive Europe’s climate-neutral future.
• HEATWISE aims to tackle the integration of waste heat and thermal energy management in tertiary buildings with significant IT loads for minimisation of waste heat, maximisation of energy efficiency and generation of additional value. Through pilots in Denmark, Poland, Switzerland, and Turkey, HEATWISE will pioneer innovative solutions, encompassing hybrid (liquid and air) cooling technology, a digital twin-supported holistic data management system, an integrated multi-objective building energy management system, and a self-assessment and optimisation tool, complemented by a knowledge-sharing platform.
• LEG-UP aims to address the critical need for affordable, energy-efficient housing for low-income buyers in Europe. The project unites international partners to develop an innovative financial model that combines mortgage financing with energy renovation services. By leveraging private capital and partnering with One-Stop Shops (OSS), the project provides holistic support, ensuring homes meet modern energy-efficiency standards. The financing covers both home purchases and renovations, with buyers participating in advisory and support programs to guarantee high-quality renovations. This approach reduces risks for lenders and homeowners, making private financing accessible to low-income buyers and enabling immediate energy-efficiency improvements.
• Stunned empowers communities with advanced solutions for energy management in flexibility markets. For that it adopts an innovative, multi-domain approach that integrates renewable energies, electric vehicles, and diverse energy management systems (EMS). The STUNNED solution will be tested in residential, commercial and industrial buildings, aggregated in energy communities in Italy, Spain and France. This drives the active participation of communities in the flexibility market and smart buildings as key tools in grid stability and the energy transition.
• DeCO2 proposed dynamic framework for renovation is advancing decarbonization through social and policy innovation. A location-based, user-centric portfolio of materials and renovation systems is built to embrace local industrial ecosystems and verticals in a wholesome symbiotic process. DeCO2 digital tools speed up the transition of the construction industry towards decarbonisation through Construction 4.0 enablers and solid and long-lasting partnerships within the legal and regulatory framework addressing the whole value chain for socio-economic innovation.
• PVSmile aims to transform passive utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) systems into flexible, community-integrated assets fully interoperable with modern energy grids. The project combines advanced ICT solutions, smart hierarchical control, AI/ML tools, cybersecurity-enhanced energy data spaces, and decentralized community models to deliver value-added energy and non-energy services across the whole PV value chain. Through nine demonstration and replication sites in the Mediterranean region, PVSmile promotes inclusive governance, citizen engagement, circular business models, and a GenAI-powered Digital Twin for coordinated energy-community and grid interaction.
• BUILD OSS aims to strengthen the technical, financial, and social capacities needed to operate and scale One-Stop Shops (OSS) for building energy renovation in Spain and beyond. Over three years, BUILD-OSS will design, implement, and validate a comprehensive training programme to prepare professionals for key OSS roles — from technical and financial experts to legal and communication specialists. The project will also promote the participation of youth and women, ensuring inclusiveness and diversity in the energy renovation workforce. Its results will include a certified and standardised training curriculum, the creation of a BUILD-OSS Talent Hub, and a strategy to ensure the long-term sustainability and replication of the model across Europe.
• EBENTO enhances energy efficiency in buildings by developing an integrated one-stop-shop platform for all actors involved in building and renovation sector to better coordinate and manage Energy Performance Contracting (EPC), bringing together the needs from all actors involved in enhancing the building stock. The project has pilot activities in four european cities: Athens, Manchester, Tallinn and Valencia.
• EVELIXIA develops smart, flexible technologies to transform European buildings into active energy nodes. By enabling two-way communication between occupants and the grid, it enhances efficiency, flexibility, and comfort. Through advance analytics, interoperability, and innovative hardware, EVELIXIA will deploy andvalidate solutions in seven pilot sites across the EU.

The projects that have been part of the Cluster and are now closed, are the following: BD4NRG, MATRYCS, I-NERGY, BIGG, BRIGHT, EaaS, NUDGE, FrESCO, iFLEX, InterConnect, EU-MORE, V2Market, Neon, SmartSPIN, BuiltHub, RENergetic, AUDIT-TO-MEASURE, ENERGATE, BungEES, DEESME 2050, DigiBUILD, RESONANCE.

If you want to stay updated on our cluster and be the first one to know about the new website, follow #SmartEnergyCluster on LinkedIn!

If you are interested in joining the cluster, fill the application form on the website: https://smartenergycluster.eu/join !