FLEXGRID · Project

Software Platform That Helps Grid Operators and Energy Companies Trade Flexibility and Integrate More Renewables

energyTestedTRL 5

Imagine the electricity grid is like a highway — when too many solar panels and wind turbines dump power onto it at unpredictable times, you get traffic jams and blackouts. FLEXGRID built a software platform that acts like a smart traffic controller, matching who has extra energy flexibility with who needs it, using game theory to make sure pricing is fair for everyone. It also uses AI to help energy companies figure out the best business strategies for buying and selling this flexibility. The end result: grid operators can handle way more renewable energy without expensive hardware upgrades.

By the numbers

consortium partners involved in development

European countries represented in consortium

industry partners directly involved

57%

industry ratio in consortium

total project deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Electricity grids across Europe are hitting their limits as more solar and wind power comes online. Grid operators face expensive infrastructure upgrades just to handle the unpredictability, while energy companies lack the tools to trade flexibility efficiently and fairly. Without smart market mechanisms, renewable energy gets curtailed and everyone pays more.

The solution

What was built

FLEXGRID built an integrated software platform with three main components: a flexibility marketplace using game theory for fair energy trading, Optimal Power Flow algorithms for scalable grid management, and AI-powered business model tools for energy service providers. A working software prototype was demonstrated, with the first integrated system released at Month 24 of the project. The consortium produced 20 deliverables over the 3-year project.

Audience

Who needs this

Distribution System Operators (DSOs) managing grids with high renewable penetrationTransmission System Operators (TSOs) procuring flexibility servicesEnergy aggregators and flexibility service providersRenewable energy plant operators seeking to reduce curtailmentEnergy trading platform developers and market operators

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Electricity Grid Operations

enterprise

Target: Distribution System Operators (DSOs) and Transmission System Operators (TSOs)

If you are a DSO or TSO struggling with grid congestion from growing renewable energy capacity — FLEXGRID developed a flexibility marketplace platform with Optimal Power Flow algorithms that lets you procure flexibility services from energy providers instead of investing in costly grid reinforcements. The platform was validated with a software prototype across a consortium of 14 partners in 8 countries, with 8 industry players directly involved in development.

Energy Services

mid-size

Target: Energy Service Providers and aggregators

If you are an energy service provider trying to compete in flexibility and balancing markets — FLEXGRID built AI-driven business model tools that help you optimize your portfolio of distributed energy resources and bid more effectively into flexibility markets. The platform uses game theory to ensure fair and strategy-proof market outcomes, reducing your risk of being outmaneuvered by larger competitors.

Renewable Energy Generation

any

Target: Renewable energy producers and plant operators

If you are a renewable energy producer dealing with curtailment and price uncertainty — FLEXGRID developed advanced pricing models and risk-averse optimization tools that help you make your generation more dispatchable and profitable. The system lets you optimally compose and exploit your production portfolio across multiple market timeframes, turning unpredictable output into tradeable flexibility.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or deploy the FLEXGRID platform?

The project data does not include specific licensing costs or pricing models. As a publicly funded RIA project with 14 consortium partners, the IP is likely shared among partners. Contact the coordinator to discuss licensing terms and potential pilot arrangements.

Can this work at the scale of a national or regional grid?

FLEXGRID specifically designed its OPF algorithms for scalability, which was listed as a core requirement. The platform was developed with input from 8 industry partners across 8 European countries, suggesting it was designed for real-world grid scale. However, deployment beyond prototype stage would need to be confirmed with the consortium.

Who owns the intellectual property?

As an EU-funded Research and Innovation Action, IP rights are typically shared among the 14 consortium partners under the grant agreement terms. The coordinator — a Greek research institute — would be the first point of contact for licensing discussions. Individual tools may have different IP holders depending on which partner developed them.

How does this fit with existing energy market regulations?

FLEXGRID was designed to align with EU electricity market reform directions, including flexibility market design. The consortium spans 8 countries (AT, CY, DE, DK, EL, ES, HR, NO), covering diverse regulatory environments. Specific regulatory compliance details would need to be discussed with the consortium.

What is the current state of the software?

A first version of the FLEXGRID software prototype was developed and demonstrated, with the integrated system prototype released around Month 24 of the project. The project delivered 20 total deliverables over its 3-year duration (2019-2022). As the project is now closed, the current maintenance status of the software should be verified.

Can this integrate with our existing grid management systems?

FLEXGRID was designed as an orchestration platform that integrates grid models, flexibility asset management tools, and data analytics. Based on available project data, the architecture was built to interact with DSO/TSO systems through market-based interfaces. Specific integration requirements and API details should be discussed with the technical partners.

Consortium

Who built it

The FLEXGRID consortium brings together 14 partners from 8 European countries, with a strong industry orientation — 8 industry partners make up 57% of the team, complemented by 3 universities and 3 research organizations. This industry-heavy composition signals that the project was designed with real market needs in mind, not just academic research. The geographic spread across Austria, Cyprus, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Spain, Croatia, and Norway covers diverse energy market structures, from Nordic flexibility markets to Mediterranean grid challenges. The coordinator is a Greek research institute, which may mean commercial exploitation depends on the industry partners taking the lead. Only 1 SME is listed, suggesting the industrial partners are mostly established energy companies rather than startups.

EREVNITIKO PANEPISTIMIAKO INSTITOUTO SYSTIMATON EPIKOINONION KAI YPOLOGISTONCoordinator · EL
SMART INNOVATION NORWAY ASparticipant · NO
AIT AUSTRIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY GMBHparticipant · AT
BNNETZE GMBHparticipant · DE
SVEUCILISTE U ZAGREBU FAKULTET ELEKTROTEHNIKE I RACUNARSTVAparticipant · HR
NORD POOL ASthirdparty · NO
ETRA INVESTIGACION Y DESARROLLO SAparticipant · ES
DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITETparticipant · DK
NODES ASparticipant · NO
UNIVERSITY OF CYPRUSparticipant · CY
HRVATSKI OPERATOR PRIJENOSNOG SUSTAVA D.D.participant · HR
BADENOVA AG & CO KGparticipant · DE

How to reach the team

The coordinator is EREVNITIKO PANEPISTIMIAKO INSTITOUTO SYSTIMATON EPIKOINONION KAI YPOLOGISTON, a research institute in Greece. SciTransfer can help identify the right contact person and facilitate an introduction.

Order a report on this consortium See EREVNITIKO PANEPISTIMIAKO INSTITOUTO SYSTIMATON EPIKOINONION KAI YPOLOGISTON profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how FLEXGRID's flexibility marketplace technology could work for your grid or energy business? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the right consortium partner — contact us for a tailored introduction.

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