IKERLAN is a leading knowledge transfer technological centre providing competitive value to companies. We seek for excellence in R&D&i, thanks to the continuous adaptation to the needs of our customers and the proximity with the business reality. Faithful to our mission, we have been working daily since 1974 to develop solutions that allow our customers to become more and more competitive. We are a cooperative member of the MONDRAGON Corporation and the Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA).

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, based in Germany, is the world’s leading organization for application-oriented research. With its focus on future-oriented key technologies and the utilization of results in business and industry, it plays a central role in the innovation process. As a guide and driving force for innovative developments and scientific excellence, it helps to shape our society and our future. Founded in 1949, the organization currently operates 75 institutes and research facilities in Germany. Around 29,000 employees, most of whom are trained in the natural sciences or engineering, work with an annual research budget of 2.8 billion euros. Of this, 2.3 billion euros is spent on contract research.

TotalEnergies’ history can be defined by three keywords: rich, unique and exhilarating. The Company’s history tells of an industrial saga and a human endeavour set against the backdrop of social, technological and geopolitical changes. Its history also relates the story of a company that was created from scratch back in 1924 under the name Compagnie française des pétroles with the aim of ensuring France’s energy independence. Over the years, it has evolved into an international organization that is actively involved in addressing the global energy challenges of the 21st century.

The Innovation and Development Institute of the University of Ljubljana (IRI UL) is a research and development organization dedicated to creating technological and societal solutions tailored to people and the environment. We collaborate with various stakeholders to bridge academic knowledge with societal needs, managing international projects and implementing results into practice. Our focus areas include sustainable energy, material efficiency, and the transition to carbon neutrality, aligned with EU programs and the European Industrial Strategy. By integrating anthropological research methods, we ensure a deep understanding of social needs, fostering innovations for positive social change. Committed to responsible research and innovation, we prioritize transparency, ethics, and safety while actively engaging diverse groups to co-create a sustainable and innovative future.

Masen is the group responsible for managing renewable energy in Morocco. Masen leads development programmes of integrated projects aimed at creating an additional 3,000 MW of clean electricity generation capacity by 2020 and a further 6,000 MW by 2030.The goal is to secure 52% of the country’s energy mix from renewable sources by 2030. As a central player committed to making optimal use of renewable resources, Masen transforms natural power into power for progress. The integrated model Masen has devised aims to establish self-sustaining and financially viable ecosystems. In addition to generating electricity through major projects and raising the funds required to do so, Masen seeks to act as a catalyst for the development of a competitive economic network that employs existing skills efficiently and helps create new ones. At the same time, the development of applied research and the promotion of technological innovation are encouraged. The local development strategy Masen has developed – a true reflection of its integrated approach – helps the regions that host its projects to achieve territorial equity and sustainable growth. Finally, its constant concern for protecting the environment and reducing greenhouse gas emissions underpins Masen’s entire approach.

Tata Power is a leading integrated power company in India, boasting a capacity of 14,294 MW along with its subsidiaries and partners. They cover the entire power value chain, including renewables like solar and wind, as well as conventional sources such as hydro and thermal energy. Notably, 38% of their portfolio comes from clean energy generation, highlighting their leadership in this sector. The company has successful partnerships in power generation and distribution, serving over 12.9 million consumers through its Discoms under public-private partnerships. With a focus on sustainability, Tata Power is expanding into distributed generation through rooftop solar, microgrids, and other initiatives. With a track record of technological innovation and commitment to green initiatives, Tata Power is poised for further growth in the energy sector.

InterSTORE is an EU-funded project that aims to deploy and demonstrate a set of interoperable Open-Source tools to integrate Distributed Energy Storage (DES) and Distributed Energy Resources (DER), to enable the hybridization, utilisation and monetisation of storage flexibility, within a real-life environment.

The European project PARMENIDES aims to develop a new ontology with a focus on the electricity and heating domain for buildings, customers, and energy communities. It will support different use cases, focusing on the utilization of Hybrid Energy Storage Systems (HESS). A new generation of innovative Energy Management Systems (EMS) will be developed, capable of using ontology as a knowledge base. PARMENIDES will define an information and communication architecture, enabling an interoperable, reliable, and secure exchange of data and instructions. The developed EMS will be demonstrated in very diverse pilots in Austria and Sweden.

The EU project SMHYLES is developing novel salt- and water-based hybrid energy storage systems on an industrial scale. SMHYLES started in January 2024 and will run until December 2027. The project is coordinated by the Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Centre for Sustainable Energy (Italy), and is being carried out in cooperation with 15 other partners from Germany, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, Spain, the Czech Republic, and Tunisia. The EU is funding the project under the European Framework Programme for Research and Innovation “Horizon Europe” with around €6 million.

FlexCHESS project aims to revolutionize the existing paradigms of energy storage by developing a multi-level flexibility approach based on a Virtual Energy Storage System (VESS) that can store surplus energy through hybrid energy storage systems (HESS) and modify their behavior and architecture to support unpredictable growth and change of demand, climate and market. FlexCHESS will enhance the innovation storage capacity and competitiveness of the smart grids in Europe based on VESS-centric approaches to address uncertainties and weaknesses related to the extensive integration of variable renewable energies into the electricity market. This will be achieved by the appropriate promotion of open innovations and by making the smart technologies an asset for an intelligent business. FlexCHESS project Consortium gathers 3 universities, 2 large companies, 3DSOs, 4 SMEs, and 2 NGO. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No°101096946.

The BIG LEAP Project enhances Second-Life Batteries with advanced BMS & ESS, fostering competitiveness and sustainability. The upcoming generation of battery management systems aims to enhance interoperability, close the gap between first-life and second-life battery energy storage systems (SL-BESS), extend adaptability, and empower battery value chains. The BIG LEAP project is a plan to make European technology more competitive by improving how batteries work in the energy sector.