Engage PV

The project Engage PV aims to leverage the integration of photovoltaics systems through the development and demonstration of social, technical and economic innovations. Innovative individual solutions are to be found in various action fields, which will be networked into overall solutions and subsequently demonstrated.

It intends to accelerate the expansion of photovoltaics systems in order to achieve Austria’s goals with respect to the integration of renewable energy for a clean energy future. Austria aims to generate 100% of the country's electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030 in line with the Renewables Expansion Act and the Austrian Recovery & Resilience Plan 2020-2026. 11 TWh derived from photovoltaics are expected to be added into the country’s portfolio.

Innovation approaches to leverage PV

Engage PV is using open innovation approaches for the demonstration. The following solutions are aimed at achieving the objectives set:

• Efficient, socially acceptable and ecological land use in all areas and for all types of land, with a special focus on multiple land uses.
• Social acceptance or motivational factors, especially to incentivize private investments in PV systems or to support measures to promote the integration of PV systems into the existing energy system.
• Local, regional and supra-regional solutions for network or system integration.
• Use of new generation and load forecasts.
• Energy industry utilization of the generated energy.
• Joint and standardized use of photovoltaic generation together with other forms of electricity generation and flexibilities, sector coupling and storage options –including virtual power plants.

Integration of large PV systems into Virtual Power Plants

There are several solutions available for individual systems when it comes to optimize self-consumption, but it is the energy industry who must boost common solutions for the integration of large PV systems into virtual power plants. PV expansion is not yet enough to achieve the country's target and further advance should be done in the area of forecasting models, as short-term forecasting and nowcasting are still problematic matters.

The integration of large photovoltaic systems into Virtual Power Plants involves combining the capabilities of multiple distributed solar installations into a unified and controllable energy management system, that allows the interaction among generation and consumption while it keeps the grid stable by adjusting the output of the PV systems according to the grid needs or market signals. The VPP can offer interoperability to manage the large PV systems with other renewable energy sources and storage systems; thus adding more flexibility and scalability into the system.

CyberGrid's role

The PV systems can seamlessly and efficiently work together thanks to the interoperability guaranteed by the Flexibility Management Platform CyberNoc. The award-winning technology leverages the integration of renewable energy, contributing to speed up the path towards achieving Austria's climate objectives. Indeed, the Virtual Power Plant can adjust, control, regulate and optimize the PV systems to guarantee grid stability and security.

The project is led by Forschung Burgenland GmbH and it is embraced by the following project partners: Burgenland Energie AG, Enerox GmbH, ertex solartechnik GmbH, EVN AG, GeoSphere Austria, Graz University of technology - Institute for Electrical Power Systems, Netz Burgenland GmbH, and Wind –Ingenieurbüro für Physik.

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Coordinator: Forschung Burgenland GmbH

R&D programme: Vorzeigeregion Energie

Starting date: 01.03.2023

Project end date: 28.02.2026

Project duration: 36 months

Project budget: 1.730.210 €

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The funding bodies of this project are: