DOMINOES - Smart Distribution Grid

DOMINOES - Smart Distribution Grid: a Market Driven Approach for the Next Generation of Advanced Operation Models and Services

This European research project was supported by Horizon 2020, in which we worked with Empower (coordinator - Finland), EDP (CNET and EDP Distribution), ISEP (GECAD), Lappeenranta University of Technology - LUT (Finland), Queens University of Belfast (UK) and University of Seville (Spain).

The DOMINOES project aimed to enable the discovery and development of new demand response, aggregation, grid management and peer-to-peer trading services by designing, developing and validating a transparent and scalable local energy market solution. The project aimed to show how DSOs can dynamically and actively manage grid balance in the emerging future where microgrids, ultra-distributed generation and energy independent communities will be prevalent.

The project aimed to establish solutions to this challenge by addressing the following steps:

1. Design and develop a local energy market architecture;
2. Develop and demonstrate ICT components enabling the local market concept;
3. Develop and demonstrate balancing and demand response services supporting the local markets;
4. Design and validate local market enabled business models;
5. Analyze and develop solutions for secure data handling related to local market enabled transactions.

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The project delivered:​

1. New business models for demand response and virtual power plant (VPP) operations;
2. Tools and technology validation for demand response services;
3. Services based on smart metering;
4. Methods to utilize VPPs and microgrids as active balancing assets;
5. Secure data handling procedures in local markets.​

These results were validated in three validation sites in Portugal and Finland: a DSO environment in Évora (Portugal), a VPP site distributed across bank branches in Portugal and a microgrid site in Lappeenranta (Finland).

Cleanwatts was the technology partner, contributing with its expertise in the development of:​

• Platforms for operating virtual power plants and microgrids;
• Platforms for managing and forecasting demand response resources;
• Mobile end-customer solutions for participation in demand response and virtual power plants;
• Ensuring secure customer transactions.

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The project lasted for three and a half years from October 2017 until June 2021.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 771066.