An EU project identifies new opportunities in micro grids
Guy Kawasaki, the former chief evangelist of Apple and now a trustee of Wikimedia Foundation once talked about the concept of “jumping the next curve”. His story goes like this: Centuries ago, people could only get ice by harvesting it from frozen lakes in winters. Then Ice 2.0 came, and ice could be produced in ice factories with no limitation of season or climate. Today, everyone can have a fridge, making ice anytime. An intriguing observation is that ice harvesters did not become ice factories, and ice factories failed in jumping the next curve.
As an EU H2020 project, P2P SmarTest investigates and demonstrates a smarter electricity distribution system integrated with advanced ICT, regional markets and innovative business models. One primary focus of the project is to study the suitable business models for P2P-based smart energy grids enabled by such next generation communication technologies as 5G, which will facilitate the participation of consumers and prosumers in the so-called “P2P energy marketplace” for smart grids and micro grids.
The project has gathered a knowledge base of 53 energy business opportunities, and developed three new business models at both ecosystem and business levels. A key insight is that the future P2P energy exchange can be operated by different parties: not only the incumbent utilities companies, but also new actors like energy service aggregators, micro grid traders and mobile network operators. The P2P platform would also give a rise to new technologies in the areas of wireless communication for grid monitoring and controlling, big data analytics and block chain solutions for decentralized energy trading and management.
Yueqiang Xu
Doctoral student of Management and international business
Project researcher, Martti Ahtisaari Institute
Yueqiang.Xu[at]oulu.fi