The ORION project, submitted to the Horizon Europe program with the support of INOVA+, was recently approved. The initiative has funding of 3 million euros to consolidate European leadership in renewable energy, through digital innovation.

International Collaboration for Cutting Edge Renewable Energy

Led by the Norwegian institution SINTEF, ORION brings together 12 partners from 8 countries on 4 continents. The following are part of the consortium: INOVA+, EDP and the Institute of Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science (INESC TEC) from Portugal, AugmentCity and Sørsida Utvikling from Norway, the Institut Mines-Telecom from France, Rheinisch-Westfaelische Technische Hochschule Aachen in Germany, the Technical University of the Atlantic in Cape Verde, the University of Alberta in Canada, the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and Sigma Energy in Slovenia. This diverse collaboration will drive digital solutions for hydro, solar and wave energy, with applications from Europe to South America.

INOVA+ assumes a strategic role in communicating and disseminating all ORION activities and results, ensuring that the knowledge acquired is widely shared and used to drive the global energy transition.

ORION Innovation: Human-centered Digital Twin

At the heart of the ORION project is a people-centric Digital Twin approach, an innovative concept that digitizes operational processes to enable informed decisions in real time. Using this real-time data, stakeholders can monitor renewable energy operations, predict scenarios, and optimize energy use sustainably.

This technology integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and machine learning to optimize the production, monitoring and management of energy resources, becoming an essential tool for carbon neutrality and the resilience of energy systems.

Pilot Regions: from hydroelectricity in Norway to waves in Brazil

To validate and demonstrate the impact of ORION, the project will implement the following pilots:

  1. Norway and Cape Verde: The ports of Ålesund (Norway) and Mindelo (Cape Verde) establish a partnership to improve energy efficiency and integrate renewable sources to support onshore energy infrastructure, aligning with environmental policies and reducing emissions for port operations sustainable.
  2. Portugal: The Monte das Flores photovoltaic park, in Évora, uses AI and Digital Twin technologies to optimize maintenance, reduce costs and improve operational efficiency, validated by EDP and INESC-TEC.
  3. Slovenia: Sigma Energy’s 30kW wave energy converter, installed off the coast of Montenegro, uses real-time monitoring and ORION solutions to improve efficiency, predict failures and reduce maintenance costs by advancing wave energy technology
  4. Brazil: LAFAE (Laboratory of Alternative Energy Sources) at UFRJ and ONS (National Electric System Operator) collaborate to create a distributed co-simulation infrastructure for a Digital Twin of the Rio de Janeiro transmission network, improving the integration of renewables and system analysis through advanced real-time simulators.
  5. Canada: University of Alberta focuses on AI and Digital Twin-based solutions to improve renewable energy integration, anomaly detection and health monitoring of key energy systems, supporting its goal of 30% renewable electricity by 2030.

These use cases demonstrate the ability to expand and replicate ORION solutions, setting a new standard for energy innovation with global impacts.

Commitment to the European Green Deal and Global Sustainability

The ORION project is aligned with the guidelines of the European Green Deal and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reinforcing the European Union’s commitment to ensuring a sustainable, safe and competitive energy supply. This integrated approach will significantly contribute to Europe’s leadership in energy innovation and the creation of resilient systems.

The project represents a significant advance in renewable energy, creating a digital ecosystem that promotes sustainability and responds to the needs of a rapidly evolving energy market. With a multidisciplinary approach that combines technology with sustainability, ORION leads an essential shift towards a green energy future.

Did you know that INOVA+ has a team specialized in international funding programs? This team ensures access and support for the participation of various organizations in international consortia and projects.  Learn more here!

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