OPTIX - Positive Energy Districts

About OPTIX

OPTIX (Optimising Positive-Energy Districts through Interoperable Digital Platforms) is an EU CETPartnership project that addresses the challenges of urban energy systems through innovative solutions. OPTIX integrates renewable energy technologies, smart control systems, and cutting-edge digital platforms to create and optimize Positive-Energy Districts (PEDs).

By combining digital twins, blockchain-based energy trading, and AI-driven optimization tools, OPTIX ensures seamless integration of renewable energy sources—such as solar PV, geothermal systems, and thermal storage—to enhance energy flexibility and community participation.

Project Objectives

OPTIX aims to transform urban energy systems by fostering Positive-Energy Districts (PEDs) through advanced technological innovation and cross-sectoral collaboration. The project’s main objectives are:

Objective 1: Develop and validate innovative technological solutions for integrating solar PV, storage systems, and renewable heating/cooling technologies to enhance energy flexibility and efficiency.
Objective 2: Create and test advanced digital twin models and blockchain-based energy trading platforms to enable real-time monitoring, analysis, and secure peer-to-peer energy transactions.
Objective 3: Demonstrate the effectiveness of the project’s solutions in seven diverse real-world pilot sites across Europe, showcasing their scalability and adaptability in different contexts.
Objective 4: Develop and disseminate a novel, replicable, and scalable model for Positive-Energy Districts, setting a new benchmark for sustainable urban energy systems.
Objective 5: Empower local communities and stakeholders by fostering energy awareness, participation, and collaborative decision-making.

Pilot Demonstrations

The OPTIX project will demonstrate its innovative solutions across seven real-world pilot sites, located in diverse European contexts. Each pilot site addresses unique challenges and opportunities, contributing to the project's overarching goal of optimizing Positive-Energy Districts (PEDs).

Case 1: P2P Energy Trading (Limerick, Ireland) Demonstrating peer-to-peer energy trading in a mixed-use urban district at Limerick Docklands. Renewable energy systems, including solar PV and battery storage, will be integrated to foster an energy community with optimized performance and reduced carbon footprint.
Case 2: Grid Balancing (Västerås and Stockholm, Sweden) Testing smart HVAC systems and energy storage for thermal and electrical grid balancing. Leveraging model-based and data-driven algorithms, the pilot will align with Svenska Kraftnät’s guidelines for grid integration.
Case 3: Municipality-Based Energy Opportunities (Lyngby-Taarbæk, Denmark) Exploring large-scale solar PV installations on municipal buildings, optimizing energy systems with smart grid technologies, and addressing heating and cooling demands through integrated solutions.
Case 4: Positive-Energy Building (Turkey) Demonstrating solar-assisted heat pump systems integrated with PV/T panels. Using digital twins, the pilot will simulate and optimize renewable energy performance while evaluating market and environmental impacts.
Case 5: Power-to-Heat in District Heating Networks (Germany) Investigating renewable energy integration into district heating networks, supported by heat pumps and solar thermal systems. The pilot will optimize heating demands and renewable energy utilization for multistorey buildings.
Case 6: Renewable Energy Optimization for SOHOs (Graz, Austria) Aiming for 100% renewable energy self-consumption, the pilot will implement smart control of heat pumps, PV systems, and electric vehicles in historic buildings with compact floor areas.
Case 7: Digital Twin of Fuel Cell Systems (Turkey and Romania) Developing a digital twin of a 2 kW fuel cell module to optimize hydrogen energy systems. The pilot will analyze performance degradation, maintenance planning, and real-time data management for energy systems.

These pilot sites will validate the technical, economic, and social viability of OPTIX solutions, ensuring scalability and replicability across different urban contexts.

News and Events

Stay updated with the latest developments, workshops, and milestones of the OPTIX project:

Online Kick-Off Meeting

The OPTIX project officially began with an online kick-off meeting held on December 16, 2024. Hosted on Microsoft Teams, this meeting brought together all project partners to align on the vision, objectives, and collaborative roadmap for the project. Key activities included:

Introductions to the consortium and partner roles.
Overview of project objectives, work packages, and deliverables.
Initial discussions on stakeholder engagement and pilot demonstrations.
Setting the timeline for the first milestones.

Physical Kick-Off Meeting

The first physical kick-off meeting for OPTIX will take place in February 13-14, 2025 in Copenhagen, Denmark. This event will provide an opportunity for partners to collaborate in person, refine project plans, and engage in technical workshops. Key topics to be covered include:

In-depth discussions on digital twin development and energy trading platforms.
Presentations on pilot site preparation and early-stage activities.
Workshops to align on technical methodologies and deployment strategies.
Networking and community-building among project stakeholders.

More details about the venue and agenda will be shared closer to the event.

Follow this section for ongoing updates on the OPTIX project’s progress and key events!

Resources

Explore the tools, platforms, and publications supporting the OPTIX project:

OpenModelica: An open-source modeling and simulation environment used in the OPTIX project for developing and validating Positive-Energy District solutions. Access OpenModelica
Project Reports: Comprehensive documentation of methodologies, outcomes, and best practices from pilot sites (to be updated).
Scientific Publications: Peer-reviewed papers detailing technical innovations and research findings.
Guides and Tutorials: Step-by-step guides on deploying Positive-Energy District solutions using OPTIX tools and frameworks.

Stay tuned as we continue to update this section with additional resources and materials!

Work Packages

OPTIX is structured into several key work packages, each with specific tasks to ensure effective project implementation and success:

WP1: Project Oversight and Coordination

T1.1: Project kick-off and consortium agreement setup, including project management plans.
T1.2: Monitoring and reporting progress, deliverables, and milestones.
T1.3: Risk management, including identification, assessment, and mitigation strategies.
T1.4: Quality assurance of processes and outputs, ensuring alignment with ethical and legal standards.

WP2: Integrating and Optimising for Positive-Energy Buildings

T2.1: Develop integrated solutions for energy generation, storage, and HVAC systems.
T2.2: Implement energy optimisation algorithms to balance renewable sources and building demands.
T2.3: Design smart control systems for enhancing energy flexibility and efficiency.

WP3: Integrating and Optimising for Positive-Energy Districts

T3.1: Develop digital twin models to simulate PED energy performance.
T3.2: Optimise district heating and cooling systems, integrating advanced renewable technologies.
T3.3: Implement tools for demand response and energy flexibility services.

WP4: District-Centric Energy Management and Trading Solutions

T4.1: Develop blockchain-based platforms for secure energy trading.
T4.2: Create frameworks for community energy management systems.
T4.3: Integrate storage systems, including green hydrogen solutions, to support grid balancing.

WP5: Real-World Demonstration, Testing, and Exploitation Strategies

T5.1: Demonstrate P2P energy trading in Limerick Docklands.
T5.2: Implement grid balancing solutions with smart HVAC systems in Sweden.
T5.3: Develop municipality-based solar PV opportunities in Denmark.
T5.4: Integrate renewable technologies for heating/cooling in targeted PEDs.
T5.5: Assess energy performance and replication strategies.

WP6: Reporting and Knowledge Community

T6.1: Prepare annual and final reports, and communication materials.
T6.2: Engage in knowledge exchange with the CETPartnership community.
T6.3: Organise workshops, webinars, and conferences to disseminate project results.
T6.4: Develop strategies for knowledge transfer to external stakeholders.

Project Partners

OPTIX brings together a consortium of leading academic, industrial, and municipal partners from across Europe, each contributing unique expertise:

DTU (Technical University of Denmark) – Project Coordinator, leading digital twin development and overall project management.
Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality (Denmark) – Municipal partner, providing pilot site testing and community engagement.
LiU (Linköping University, Sweden) – Expertise in smart energy systems, energy storage, and district optimization.
MDU (Mälardalen University, Sweden) – Specialists in solar technologies, HVAC systems, and renewable energy integration.
UCC (University College Cork, Ireland) – Leader of blockchain-based energy trading solutions and community energy management.
MEGA (Smart Grid Solutions, Austria) – Experts in smart grid technologies and energy efficiency systems.
Innorma R&D (Turkey) – Focus on low-carbon technologies, energy auditing, and sustainable urban planning.
TÜBİTAK (Turkey) – Specialists in hydrogen energy and fuel cell solutions for clean energy integration.
BEIA (Romania) – ICT solutions for cloud communications, IoT telemetry, and system optimization.
ICSI (Romania) – Research infrastructure partner with expertise in hydrogen production and storage technologies.
EUC (Austria) – Providers of Digital Twin solutions for predictive energy control.