DR-RISE first technical review meeting and general assembly hosted in Brussels
Our team at IDENER played a pivotal role in advancing DR-RISE, a key initiative aimed at delivering innovative solutions for demand response in the residential sector. The project recently concluded two relevant events: the first Technical Review Meeting and the third General Assembly, both of which highlighted IDENER’s leadership and contributions.
The first event was the Technical Review Meeting on the 14th of January, which focused on reporting the project’s progress during its initial 18 months. The Consortium shared the achievements, challenges and next steps with the Project Officer from the European Commission. IDENER served as the meeting’s moderator and presented updates on two critical work packages: WP4 (DR-RISE smart nodes and grid integration) and WP7 (project management and quality assurance). The Technical Review Meeting concluded successfully with the Project Officer suggesting some actions to further maximise the impact of the technical advancements and operational strategies for different stakeholders.
Following this, the third General Assembly took place in Brussels on the 15th and 16th of January. As the project coordinator, IDENER transformed the event into a workshop-style format to avoid redundant updates and instead drive forward-looking discussions. The workshops addressed the technical implementation of the DR-RISE application, social science co-integration and the current status of the Living Labs. IDENER managed the agenda design together with the Consortium and ensured alignment between the technical and SSH teams. The goal was to accelerate progress while maintaining collaboration across the Consortium.
The Consortium celebrated significant achievements during the project’s first 18 months, including the successful development of core modules (forecasting, optimization, UI, etc.), which are now being integrated into a unified platform. Collaborative co-creation workshops ensured end-user feedback shaped the design process, and initial installations – such as smart meters and sensors – have already been deployed at the Living Labs, marking tangible progress.
The GA also addressed challenges requiring strategic focus. Key priorities include standardising data formats and refining database architecture to ensure seamless data flow from the Living Labs to the platform. To manage installations effectively, the Consortium agreed to prioritise a small user base first before scaling up. Additionally, clarifying the tangible value proposition for end-users emerged as a critical step to align technical solutions with real world needs. These actions items reflect the DR-RISE Consortium’s proactive approach to maintaining momentum and delivering impactful results.
Despite the challenges associated to organizing a Technical Review meeting and a General Assembly in a single session, the outcomes were highly productive. Having the feedback from the Project Officer from the previous day allowed us to better focus our efforts during the upcoming workshops. Looking ahead, we are confident that the Consortium’s focus on incremental Living Lab scaling will create a robust foundation for long-term-success, aligning with IDENER’s mission to drive innovation in sustainable energy systems.
Alejandro Trujillo – Project Coordinator (Co-planning, mainly execution, and moderation)
Axel Bruck – Co-coordinator (Co-planning, partly execution and moderation)