Austrian EVN improves flexibility management capability by taking over cyberGRID

Energy services provider EVN Group has acquired cyberGRID, which specializes in flexibility management and the integration of renewables and battery storage.

With the emergence of prosumers – households and companies that produce their own electricity and usually also deliver it to the grid, power providers are developing solutions to keep them on as customers, but in a more active role, like clients or even partners. Vienna-based information technology company cyberGRID said it joined EVN Group through an acquisition, which means the Austrian energy services provider got full access to its cyberNOC flexibility management platform.

The expansion of renewable energy widens the market for flexibility services. Namely, output at solar and wind power plants is pretty unpredictable as it depends on weather conditions, which change fast. It can cause grid instability, so additional energy is needed to balance the system.

There are also demand response solutions: upon request in cases when there is a lack of energy, customers lower their power consumption or switch to their batteries. They can also deliver stored electricity to the network.

CyberNOC platform unlocks consumers’ flexibility potential

CyberGRID, founded in 2010, said its technology can be integrated with embedded control tools, smart metering, microgrid management solutions and other systems. CyberNOC unlocks the flexible potential from consumers, distributed generators and battery storage devices, according to the company, which also claims its platform improves the efficiency of energy infrastructure.

CyberNOC collects flexible energy resources from photovoltaics, wind and battery storage and pools them into a virtual power plant

“Moreover, maintaining the security of supply has progressively become more critical during times of uncertainty. Wide-ranging price fluctuations and overall high price levels on the power exchanges further underscore the need for stakeholders to diversify their assets and offerings in the marketplace, while also maintaining a smart IT infrastructure that enables agile decision making,” the acquisition announcement reads.

CyberGRID said its software collects flexible energy resources from photovoltaics, wind and battery storage and pools them into a virtual power plant.

CyberGRID’s IT solutions complement EVN’s portfolio

Klaus Stricker, responsible for energy planning at EVN, said cyberGRID has innovative expertise in the area of ​​IT-based integration of renewable energy and that it ideally complements the energy company’s portfolio.

The company based in Maria Enzersdorf, Lower Austria, produces and supplies energy and trades electricity and gas. It provides drinking water, manages waste and operates cable TV and telecommunications networks. EVN has subsidiaries in North Macedonia and Bulgaria.

Many customers already want to sell the energy they produce on the market and thus become traders, cyberGRID’s Chief Executive Officer Alexander Kofink (pictured middle) said, as quoted by APA.

“The need for flexibility in the European power sector is continuing to grow, so we are thrilled to be working with EVN to leverage their value chains and scale-up cyberGRID’s software solutions and services in the European and other international markets,” cyberGRID’s cofounders Marko Svetina (right) and Peter Nemcek (left) said.

The details of the transaction weren’t disclosed.