Elia / : Elexide wins Elia Group’s third hackathon aimed at unlocking flexibility through real-time pricing

Innovative approaches are needed to face the challenges linked to the significant increase in renewable energy production and rise in electricity consumption due to the electrification of society. We need to work towards a more flexible electricity system in which the use of electricity is more evenly distributed throughout the day. To achieve this, we must be able to valorise consumer flexibility. Giving consumers and suppliers a clearer, more easily interpretable price signal is essential for this. This is the main objective of real-time pricing. The hackathon teams had a clear mission over the course of the three-day event: demonstrating the effects of remotely steering flexible assets, such as electric vehicles and heat pumps, through real-time prices. They were tasked with showing how the latter could impact both consumer bills and maintaining the balance of the electricity system. The judges were won over by Elexide's solution concerning the electric mobility.

• From 26 to 28 March, a hundred participants made up of students and professionals from across Europe worked in teams to explore the role of real-time pricing in unlocking consumer flexibility from across the energy system
• The 20 teams were challenged with focusing on either energy optimisation in households or office buildings, or presenting their own use cases for real-time pricing
• After pitching their ideas to a panel of judges at the end of the third day, Elexide emerged as the winning team with their consumer-oriented solution for the companies automobile's fleet.

• The members will now receive 1000 euros and the opportunity to continue his collaboration with Elia Group, helping to further the work on flexibility.