ERA-Net Smart Energy Systems: The JPP SES is inviting Digital Platform Providers for Energy to join the Impact Network

This new invitation round has been launched on 7 May 2021 and is now closed. The European Joint Programming Platform Smart Energy Systems (JPP SES) is pleased to invite interested Digital Platform Providers (DPP) to join the JPP SES Impact Network. Such partners are supposed to bring their ICT solutions to the projects funded by JPP SES or the entire community of projects. The overall objective of the JPP SES is to support transnational research and innovation activities for building a sustainable energy society. The programme aims at contributing to:

Advancing the green energy transition in all sectors of the energy system while ensuring security of supply;
Shaping new transnational business and investment opportunities by sector coupling and development of new value chains in innovative and cost-effective energy solutions;
Ensuring social sustainability in the development of the green energy transition.

Scope and ambition

Beyond the funding of transnational RDD projects, the Joint Programming Platform Smart Energy Systems has initiated an Impact Network with existing and future Digital Platform Providers (DPPs). This network is building bridges in the entire innovation chain by involving partners from the ICT domain, business development and governmental institutions, start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as financers and funders. The JPP SES supports the network building with a broad activation and matchmaking process.

This invitation addresses Digital Platform Providers (DPPs) as partners in the matchmaking activities. It seeks for yet further ICT partners that offer technologies and services or parts of solutions that help build intelligent energy systems that potentially link to other digital eco-systems. Such DPPs shall provide hardware and/or software and knowledge for research, development and innovation (RDI) projects funded in the framework of JPP SES. DPPs often provide solutions on all or specific hardware and software layers, thus defining their individual platform architecture. Often the architecture layers differentiate as follows:

business applications ("apps”), which are designed for end-users for, e.g., energy cost analysis
high level services supporting software units for specific business cases in the field of smart energies
domain specific enablers including certain software components for different usage-areas (e.g. the energy system, for instance, a smart meter data manager)
generic enablers, which are usage-area independent, such as a set of IoT management services
physical components including control hardware such as smart meters or charging stations on the very bottom or the physical components that host a human-machine interface.

Qualified DPPs are already introduced on the dedicated JPP SES webpage. So called Information Cards describe the solutions and services provided by each DPP. For a DPP, there are multiple ways to get connected to JPP SES and its projects, e.g.

DPP can enter a consortium of a project to apply for funding. JPP SES operates a matchmaking platform and organises physical and virtual co-creation events where a DPP meets candidates to form such a consortium
DPP otherwise enter into bilateral relations with one or multiple projects to use or incorporate their platform services. Again, co-creation opportunities will be provided to show the offerings and join with project consortia.

Qualification criteria

To qualify as a Digital Platform Provider of the JPP SES, interested players need to fulfil the following basic criteria:

offer a solution on the market or with very high technology and market readiness level (TRL>=8, MRL>=8),
provide well defined interfaces (API) to access the building blocks of the digital platform,
offer support for the deployment of the solution in multiple JPP SES projects,
agree to share information about experiences in existing implementation eco-systems,
e.g. living lab, medium or large-scale trial sites,
be open to cooperate with the JPP SES coordination and call management

Benefits for Digital Platform Providers

The Digital Platform Providers benefit from:

high visibility via formal descriptions of the value propositions on the JPP SES website,
exclusive matchmaking opportunities,
early and exclusive access to projects and their results (even without being a project partner),
opportunities to help framing key messages and recommendations of the initiative.

At the beginning of June 2021, JPP SES will launch a call for project proposals on "Accelerating the Heating and Cooling Transition”, in cooperation with ERA-Net GEOTHERMICA. Potential Digital Platform Providers on this topic are invited to apply and will be invited to introduce themselves and their services also in the framework of call-related activities. This invitation, however, is not only limited to the topic of the next call for projects but potential Digital Platform Providers interested in topics of all JPP SES Focus Initiatives are invited to express their interest.

Time schedule

Launch of the invitation	07 May, 2021
Advisory period	07 May - 04 June, 2021
Deadline for registration of Expressions of Interest	04 June, 2021, 13:00 CEST
Deadline for qualification feedback	Mid of June 2021
Expected publication of Information Cards	End of June, 2021

Submission of expression of interest

Thank you for your expressions of interest. The submission is now closed.

More information and advice

Click here to download this invitation for Expressions of Interest. For more information and advice for preparing your Expression of Interest, please contact Julia Chenut from the Support Team of the JPP SES Coordination: office@eranet-smartenergysystems.eu