New Horizon 2020 project has started to assess the future European energy system

12.07.2016

In May, the large-scale Horizon 2020 project REFLEX - Analysis of the European energy system under the aspects of flexibility and technological progress was launched at a kick-off meeting held in Dresden, Germany.

The project will analyse and evaluate the development towards a low-carbon energy system in the EU, focusing on flexibility to support a better system integration of RES including power-to-X options. New technologies and innovations are necessary to address the analysed challenges that consider both the (future) competitiveness of technologies as well as their social impacts.   The project uses a broad range of established energy system models including FORECAST and eLOAD. Both models will be extended by adding the dimension of technological learning for energy demand technologies based on experience curves. So far, endogenous technological learning and experience curves have been underrepresented in demand models and we therefore expect to take an important step forward in improving energy demand forecasting.   The project is funded under the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme and involves numerous European Partner Institutes including the FORECAST and eLOAD development teams from Fraunhofer ISI and TEP Energy. More information can be found at the website ofthe project coordinator TU Dresden.