Plan4Res · Project

Software Platform That Plans How to Add More Renewables Without Blackouts

energyTestedTRL 5

Imagine you're running a massive power grid and want to plug in thousands of wind farms and solar panels — but every time the wind drops, the lights could go out. Plan4Res built a smart planning tool that figures out the best mix of energy sources, storage, and grid connections across all of Europe. Think of it like a GPS for the energy transition: it maps out the cheapest, safest route from today's grid to one powered mostly by renewables. It was led by Electricité de France and tested with real European-scale case studies.

By the numbers

EUR 3,905,060

EU contribution to the project

consortium partners

countries involved (CH, DE, FR, IT, UK)

industrial partners in the consortium

European-scale validation case studies

total project deliverables

40%

industry ratio in the consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Energy companies and grid operators across Europe face a massive planning challenge: how to add more wind and solar power without causing blackouts or wasting billions on wrong investments. Traditional planning tools use single, rigid models that cannot handle the complexity of a pan-European interconnected grid with dozens of energy sources, storage options, and regulatory environments — all changing under deep uncertainty about future demand, prices, and policy.

The solution

What was built

The project built a modular energy system planning platform with two key software components: an improved SCIP mathematical solver (with parallel computing and automated parameter tuning) and a StOpt stochastic optimization library for handling seasonal storage and transmission expansion under uncertainty. The platform was validated through 3 European-scale case studies covering different user perspectives.

Audience

Who needs this

Large power utilities planning renewable energy integrationTransmission and distribution system operators (TSOs/DSOs)Energy regulators assessing policy impacts on grid reliabilityEnergy consulting firms building investment scenariosMulti-technology energy providers optimizing asset portfolios

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Power utilities

enterprise

Target: Large electricity generation and distribution companies

If you are a power utility dealing with the headache of integrating more wind and solar into your generation portfolio without risking grid stability — this project developed a planning platform with stochastic optimization solvers that model future uncertainties and help you decide where to invest. Built by a consortium of 10 partners across 5 countries and validated with European-scale case studies, it directly addresses investment planning under real-world uncertainty.

Transmission system operators

enterprise

Target: National or regional grid operators (TSOs/DSOs)

If you are a grid operator struggling to balance supply and demand as renewable penetration grows — Plan4Res built tools that integrate TSO and DSO flexibility costs into a single planning environment. The platform was specifically designed to assess ancillary services and grid expansion needs, validated through 3 European-scale case studies with input from 4 industrial partners.

Energy consulting and software

mid-size

Target: Energy modeling and advisory firms

If you are an energy consultancy building scenarios for clients investing in multi-energy systems — Plan4Res created an open modular platform that replaces monolithic energy models with a hierarchy of specialized solvers. The SCIP solver and StOpt stochastic optimization library were specifically adapted for this platform and can handle seasonal storage and transmission expansion problems at continental scale.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or use this platform?

The project was a publicly funded Research and Innovation Action (EUR 3,905,060 EU contribution). The core solvers — SCIP and StOpt — are research-grade libraries. Licensing terms are not specified in available project data; you would need to contact the coordinator (EDF) or check the project website for access conditions.

Can this work at industrial scale for a real grid?

The platform was validated through 3 European-scale case studies, specifically designed to demonstrate adequacy on continent-wide interconnected systems. It handles multi-energy integration, investment planning under uncertainty, and TSO/DSO flexibility cost modeling. However, moving from validated case studies to daily operational use would likely require further customization.

Who owns the IP and can I build on it?

The consortium was led by Electricité de France, a major utility. With 4 industrial and 4 university partners across 5 countries, IP is likely shared under the consortium agreement. The SCIP solver comes from ZIB (a German research institute) and StOpt from EDF. Contact the coordinator for specific licensing terms.

How does this handle the uncertainty of renewable energy output?

The StOpt library provides stochastic optimization solvers specifically adapted to handle future uncertainties — including variable renewable output, demand fluctuations, and price scenarios. The platform treats uncertainty as a core design feature rather than an afterthought, covering seasonal storage and transmission expansion decisions.

Is this just another academic model or has it been used in real decisions?

The 3 case studies were performed at European scale and specifically tested tailored versions for different user types: multi-technology providers, TSOs, utilities, and energy providers. The involvement of EDF (one of the world's largest utilities) as coordinator suggests practical applicability, though commercial deployment evidence is not documented in available project data.

What regulations or standards does this comply with?

The platform was designed to assess the impact of energy regulation on system planning and includes regulatory impact assessment as a key feature. Based on available project data, it aligns with European energy policy goals for increasing renewable share while maintaining system reliability.

Consortium

Who built it

The consortium is led by Electricité de France (EDF), one of Europe's largest energy companies, which signals serious industrial intent. With 10 partners split evenly between industry (4) and academia (4), plus 2 research organizations across 5 countries (France, Germany, Italy, UK, Switzerland), the project has strong coverage of major European energy markets. The 40% industry ratio is solid for a research project. Notably, there are zero SMEs — this is big-player territory, suggesting the tools were designed for enterprise-scale energy planning rather than small-company use cases. The involvement of ZIB (German research center behind the SCIP solver) adds world-class mathematical optimization expertise.

ELECTRICITE DE FRANCECoordinator · FR
IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINEparticipant · UK
RHEINISCH-WESTFAELISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE AACHENparticipant · DE
CONSORZIO INTERUNIVERSITARIO PER L'OTTIMIZZAZIONE E LA RICERCA OPERATIVAparticipant · IT
HEWLETT-PACKARD (SCHWEIZ) GMBHparticipant · CH
ZUSE-INSTITUT BERLINparticipant · DE
UNIVERSITA DI PISAthirdparty · IT
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI MODENA E REGGIO EMILIAthirdparty · IT
CRAY COMPUTER GMBHparticipant · CH
SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTparticipant · DE

How to reach the team

Electricité de France (EDF), France — contact via SciTransfer for a warm introduction

Order a report on this consortium See ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how Plan4Res tools could improve your energy investment planning? SciTransfer can arrange an introduction to the project team and prepare a tailored briefing for your use case.

Order a report on this topic More in Energy & Climate