Why Interoperability Matters
How European Policies and Standards Are Shaping the Future of Smart Energy CommunitiesEurope’s energy system is undergoing a profound transformation. Renewable energy, digital technologies, electric mobility and active consumers are changing the way energy is produced, exchanged and consumed. At the heart of this transition are Energy Communities, which empower citizens, businesses and local authorities to generate, share and manage energy collectively.
The scale of this transformation is immense. According to the European Commission, around €584 billion will need to be invested in Europe’s electricity grids between 2020 and 2030, with a significant share of this investment supporting the modernisation and digitalisation of electricity networks. As Europe’s energy system becomes increasingly decentralised and data-driven, expanding physical infrastructure alone will not be enough. Digital technologies must also be able to communicate, exchange information and understand one another if they are to unlock the full potential of the clean energy transition. This capability known as interoperability has become a cornerstone of the European Union’s vision for a digital, resilient and consumer-centred energy system.
Interoperability: A European Priority
The European Commission has consistently identified interoperability as a key enabler of Europe’s digital transformation. As energy systems become increasingly decentralised, data must flow seamlessly across organisations, technologies and national borders to unlock innovative digital services, improve system efficiency and support the integration of renewable energy. This vision is reflected in the European Interoperability Framework (EIF), which provides guidance for enabling seamless cooperation between public administrations, businesses and citizens across Europe. Rather than focusing solely on technical connectivity, the EIF recognises that true interoperability also requires systems to interpret exchanged information consistently. This principle, known as semantic interoperability, ensures that data has the same meaning regardless of where it originates or which platform processes it. Although originally developed to support digital public services, the principles of the EIF have become increasingly relevant across sectors, including energy, where digital platforms, distributed assets and multiple stakeholders must collaborate in real time.
Supporting Europe's Digital Energy Transition
Interoperability also plays a central role in the European Commission’s Digitalisation of the Energy System Action Plan, which recognises digital technologies as essential for achieving Europe’s climate and energy objectives. The Action Plan promotes a more connected, data-driven energy ecosystem where information can be shared securely between system operators, energy communities, consumers and service providers. Better interoperability enables innovative services such as demand response, flexibility markets, predictive maintenance and intelligent energy optimisation, while reducing the complexity of integrating renewable energy sources, battery storage systems and electric mobility into the electricity network. Rather than viewing data as isolated information stored within individual systems, the European approach encourages the creation of an interconnected digital ecosystem where data becomes a shared resource that supports innovation, sustainability and consumer participation.
Why Standards Matter
Achieving interoperability requires more than policy ambitions it depends on the adoption of common standards that provide a shared language for describing energy systems. Over the past decade, several international standards and semantic models have emerged to address different aspects of the energy domain. For example, the IEC Common Information Model (IEC CIM) provides a standardised framework widely used by electricity utilities for exchanging information related to power system operations and network management. Meanwhile, the Smart Applications REFerence ontology (SAREF), developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), offers a semantic model for smart devices, buildings and energy applications. Together, these standards provide the foundations for creating interoperable digital energy systems. Rather than competing with one another, they address different domains and can be combined to support increasingly complex energy applications. The HARMONISE Common Information Model follows this philosophy by aligning existing semantic standards instead of introducing an entirely new ontology. This approach enables information from diverse systems to be represented consistently while remaining compatible with well-established models, reducing integration effort and promoting reuse.
From Data Exchange to Shared Understanding
Interoperability is often misunderstood as simply enabling systems to exchange data. While technical connectivity is essential, it is only the first step. Imagine two platforms exchanging information about a battery energy storage system. One describes it as a “battery”, another as an “energy storage unit”, while a third uses a manufacturer-specific identifier. Although they refer to the same physical asset, software applications may struggle to recognise the connection. Semantic interoperability addresses this challenge by ensuring that systems share not only data but also a common understanding of its meaning. This shared understanding enables software to automatically discover available assets, validate incoming information, integrate new devices more efficiently and support intelligent decision-making across increasingly complex energy communities. The HARMONISE Common Information Model establishes this shared semantic framework, enabling consistent interpretation of data across heterogeneous platforms and pilot sites.
HARMONISE: Supporting Europe's Vision
The HARMONISE project contributes to Europe’s broader digitalisation strategy by developing a Common Information Model that facilitates semantic interoperability across heterogeneous energy platforms and pilot sites. By adopting recognised semantic standards and providing a unified representation of assets, services and measurements, HARMONISE helps create a digital foundation for intelligent energy management, advanced analytics and scalable energy community solutions. The project demonstrates how interoperability can move beyond theory and become a practical tool that simplifies system integration while supporting innovative energy services. Rather than creating another isolated data model, HARMONISE demonstrates how existing standards can be brought together to support real-world applications while remaining aligned with Europe’s long-term objectives for interoperability and digitalisation.
