DIACHEIRISTIS ELLINIKOU DIKTYOU DIANOMIS ELEKTRIKIS ENERGEIAS AE

Their core work

HEDNO is Greece's national electricity distribution network operator, responsible for managing and modernizing the power grid that delivers electricity to millions of end users. In H2020, they serve as a real-world testbed for smart grid technologies — deploying demand response systems, flexibility markets, TSO-DSO coordination mechanisms, and blockchain-based energy trading platforms on their actual distribution infrastructure. Their contribution is operational validation: they bring the grid operator's perspective and real network data to projects that would otherwise remain theoretical. They are particularly active in island microgrid solutions and cross-border energy management, reflecting Greece's unique grid challenges with island territories and Southeast European interconnections.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2015–2018), HEDNO focused on foundational smart grid hardware — battery storage on islands (TILOS), solar grid stability (GRIDSOL), storage sharing (SHAR-Q), and basic smart grid ICT infrastructure. From 2019 onward, their work shifted decisively toward market mechanisms and digital platforms: TSO-DSO coordination (CoordiNet), blockchain-enabled flexibility markets (PlatOne, PARITY, SYNERGY), prosumer aggregation, and congestion management. The evolution mirrors the broader European energy transition — from deploying physical grid assets to orchestrating distributed energy resources through software, data platforms, and market design.

HEDNO is moving firmly toward becoming a digitally-enabled distribution system operator, with growing emphasis on blockchain-based local energy markets, prosumer flexibility, and data-driven grid management — expect future work in AI-powered grid optimization and local energy communities.

How they like to work

HEDNO exclusively participates as a partner or third party — they have never coordinated an H2020 project, which is typical for national grid operators who contribute infrastructure and real-world validation rather than research leadership. They operate in large consortia (356 unique partners across 34 countries), reflecting the scale of EU energy demonstration projects. Their value in a consortium is clear: they provide access to a real national distribution grid for testing and demonstration, which is a scarce and highly sought-after resource.

With 356 unique consortium partners across 34 countries, HEDNO has one of the broadest collaboration networks among Greek energy organizations. Their partnerships span nearly all EU member states, with particular depth in Southeast European cross-border energy projects (CROSSBOW) and pan-European grid harmonization initiatives (OneNet, CoordiNet).

What sets them apart

HEDNO is Greece's sole electricity distribution network operator, giving them a monopoly position that is irreplaceable for any EU project needing real-world grid demonstration in Southeast Europe. Unlike research institutes or technology companies, they offer something no competitor can: actual operational grid infrastructure with millions of connected users, island microgrids with unique characteristics, and regulatory authority over distribution-level operations. For consortium builders, including HEDNO means your smart grid solution gets tested on a real national network, not just in a lab — and it opens the door to the Greek and broader Southeast European energy market.

Highlights from their portfolio

• CoordiNet
  Their largest H2020 investment (EUR 824K) and a flagship EU demonstration of TSO-DSO coordination with real market mechanisms across multiple European countries.
• TILOS
  Pioneering battery storage deployment on a Greek island — one of Europe's first full-scale island microgrid demonstrations combining solar, wind, and battery storage.
• OneNet
  Pan-European initiative to create a single market framework for grid services across transmission and distribution — positions HEDNO at the center of future EU grid architecture.