Driving Innovation from the Field
AEM’s Journey in the HARMONISE Project
As the HARMONISE project enters its second year, significant progress has been made in connecting innovative digital solutions with real-world energy systems. At the heart of the Swiss pilot is AEM, a key partner ensuring that the technologies developed within HARMONISE can be successfully deployed, tested, and validated in operational environments.
We spoke with Stefano Mauri, the person responsible for the HARMONISE project within AEM, to learn more about his role, the challenges encountered, and the value the project is creating for future energy systems.
AEM’s Role in HARMONISE
AEM plays a critical role in ensuring the successful deployment of HARMONISE solutions within the Swiss pilot. Stefano AEM is involved in all activities necessary to guarantee the effective integration of project technologies into the pilot environment.
A major part of AEM’s contribution has been supporting the development of the HARMONISE platform by providing essential information regarding the communication structure between the pilot’s sensor network and the platform. In parallel, AEM has overseen on-site activities related to the expansion of the sensor infrastructure, with the objective of improving both the quality and the variety of data shared with the platform.
Through these activities, AEM helps create the conditions necessary for accurate data exchange and effective testing of the innovative solutions being developed within the project.
Strong Progress Through Collaboration
Reflecting on the project’s progress so far, Stefano highlights the significant achievements made in the development of the communication platform.
According to him, continuous and productive exchanges between the Swiss pilot team and the technical partners have enabled the successful integration of the entire sensor system with the HARMONISE platform. This collaboration has ensured reliable data exchange and laid the foundation for future testing activities.
AEM’s contribution has gone beyond maintaining the pilot infrastructure. The team has actively supported technical partners by helping align platform development with the realities and requirements of the sensor network installed at the pilot site. This close collaboration has been essential in ensuring that technological developments remain connected to operational needs.
Overcoming Technical Challenges
Like any innovative project, HARMONISE has presented challenges along the way.
One of the main challenges involved the installation of new sensors within the pilot. Another concerned the initial difficulties in ensuring proper alignment between the data exchanged through the pilot’s APIs and the platform under development.
To address these issues, AEM relied on careful planning and close coordination. The installation challenges were managed through effective scheduling and integration with other operational activities, allowing the team to quickly resolve communication issues that emerged with newly installed sensors.
For the platform integration challenges, continuous alignment among all partners proved essential. Open communication and a willingness to conduct detailed technical investigations into API communication methodologies enabled the consortium to identify solutions and move forward effectively.
These experiences have reinforced an important lesson for the entire consortium: when planning technical activities, it is essential to anticipate possible delays caused by operational and technical factors. Equally important is maintaining continuous alignment among project partners throughout the implementation process.
Memorable Milestones
Among the most rewarding moments so far has been the successful verification of data handling within the HARMONISE platform.
Although the first asset control tests have not yet been carried out, confirming that data is being correctly exchanged and managed between the pilot and the platform represents a significant achievement. This milestone provides confidence that the technological foundations are in place for the next phases of testing and validation.
Creating Impact Beyond the Pilot
The work carried out within HARMONISE has implications that extend beyond the Swiss pilot itself.
According to AEM, the project offers a unique opportunity to test innovative solutions for the efficient use of electricity distribution networks within controlled pilot environments. These pilots provide valuable insights into how digital tools can improve energy management and grid operations.
Future replicability analyses will help determine the broader applicability of these solutions and assess their potential impact across Europe’s energy systems.
For stakeholders and end-users, AEM brings the assurance of an organization with extensive expertise in the electrical sector and a strong track record in research and development. Through its involvement, AEM helps ensure that local energy communities remain informed, innovative, and prepared to adopt new technologies that support the energy transition.
Looking Ahead
As the project progresses, the most anticipated phase is undoubtedly the testing of the developed solutions in real-world conditions.
For Stefano and the AEM team, seeing a digital solution move from concept and development to actual field deployment is one of the most rewarding aspects of participating in an innovation project. Years of collaboration between pilot operators and technical partners culminate in the opportunity to validate whether the developed technologies deliver the expected benefits.
Looking forward, AEM hopes to successfully test the use cases designed for the Swiss pilot, particularly those focused on:
- Grid management and peak shaving.
- Increasing self-consumption within the energy community.
These use cases have the potential to demonstrate how intelligent digital solutions can support more efficient, resilient, and sustainable energy systems.
A Final Reflection
One key insight stands out from AEM’s experience in HARMONISE:
“The continuous coordination between the development partners and the pilot helps ensure the proper development of the solution and enables any issues to be addressed in a timely manner.”
This spirit of collaboration remains a cornerstone of the HARMONISE project and a critical factor in transforming innovative ideas into practical solutions for the energy systems of the future.