Meet our new consortium partner: Grupo Astea!

With the adoption of our new demo site Osimo, two new partners have joined the consortium.

We sat down with Matteo Lorenzetti from Grupo Astea –  an energy & utilities company that supports ongoing development of territory through sustainable water distribution and energy supply methods, and asked them a few questions about their involvement in the project.

1. Tell us something about your experience in the field.

Osimo, a city home to approximately 35,000 inhabitants, is one of the municipalities under the management of Astea Group. Astea is responsible for the provision of essential services, including water, gas, electricity, and heating. Additionally, it contributes significantly to waste management operations in the city. Astea has also been actively involved in two Horizon 2020 European projects, namely MUSE Grids and INTERRFACE. These initiatives have enabled Astea to develop and implement the integration of energy systems and the establishment of Local Energy Communities (LECs) within two specific areas in Osimo. This involvement underscores Astea’s commitment to promoting sustainable and community-centric energy solutions.

2. What is your role in the project?

Astea’s role in the project is to experiment with a peer-to-peer (P2P) blockchain-based electricity trading market, specifically among prosumers—individuals or entities that both produce and consume electricity. Some prosumers are already equipped with smart electricity meters, and more can be equipped with new meters that capture real-time production and consumption data, which can be leveraged by a blockchain system for transparent and secure transactions.

3. What do you hope to get out of it?

Our aim is to support the development of energy communities through simple and intuitive tools to improve the local usage of renewable energy sources, encourage more responsible use of energy, and reduce energy poverty linked to socio-economic barriers.

4. What do Renewable Energy Communities mean to you?

Renewable Energy Communities are the future of energy democracy. They empower people to take ownership of their energy needs, fostering a collaborative environment where neighbors work together towards a more sustainable future. This not only reduces dependence on traditional energy sources but also strengthens social bonds and creates a sense of shared purpose within the community.

5. What is a unique feature of LocalRES?

LocalRES stands out by empowering individuals, strengthening communities, and fostering a sustainable energy future through: i) empowering end-users, providing smart devices and data insights to optimize energy usage and reduce costs; ii) shared energy responsibility, encouraging peer-to-peer energy trading within RECs to enhance grid stability; iii) concrete implementation of RECs, facilitating the establishment of RECs and providing the necessary tools for their success.

6. What would you expect from the incoming EU institution representatives when it comes to fostering energy communities?

We hope for a future where regulations are further streamlined, and incentives are made more appealing to encourage the broad acceptance of energy communities. Moreover, we passionately champion the ongoing pursuit of research and innovation in this domain, as we believe it is crucial for propelling the advancement of sustainable energy solutions.