The InnoCyPES project, funded under the Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Actions, has successfully concluded its mission (June 2021 – November 2025). By tightly integrating the data lifecycle with energy system engineering, InnoCyPES has delivered innovative tools and methodologies that support a secure, stable, and digitalized European energy infrastructure.
Selected Key Achievements:
1. Training the Next Generation of Experts
A core achievement of InnoCyPES was the recruitment and training of 15 Early‑Stage Researchers (ESRs) enrolled in PhD programmes addressing highly innovative and societally relevant research topics. The project fostered a strong international and interdisciplinary research community through four training schools (Copenhagen, Trondheim, Novi Sad, and Delft), a summer school in Lecce, and a dedicated workshop in Vienna.
Digital Infrastructure Design
InnoCyPES introduced novel methods for the design of IoT‑based communication networks for offshore power plants, with a strong focus on enhanced system resilience. The project also developed model‑driven tools for virtualized protection and control, promoting interoperability through the use of standardized data models.
2. Strengthening Cybersecurity
The project developed and validated advanced methodologies for real‑time detection and localization of cyber threats in power systems. Key results include the identification of Sampled Value (SV) injection attacks in digital substations and the application of Vertical Federated Learning to detect false‑data‑injection attacks, enabling effective threat detection while preserving data privacy through information exchange rather than raw data sharing.
3. Innovations in Grid Stability and Control
InnoCyPES researchers proposed new solutions to improve control design and stability assessment of grid‑forming converters, addressing a critical challenge in modern converter‑dominated power systems.
4. Advanced Data Analytics for Asset Management
The project developed real‑time analytics for power‑quality disturbance detection in power systems. In addition, novel data‑driven methods based on historical fault data were explored to support improved asset management in distribution grids.
5. Digital Testing and Validation Methods
InnoCyPES made significant contributions to testing and model validation using software‑ and hardware‑in‑the‑loop approaches. In particular, software‑in‑the‑loop methods were tested and validated for wind turbines, demonstrating strong potential for real‑time digital simulation and large‑scale testing of wind power plants and complex converter‑based systems.
6. Quantifying the Value of Digitalization
To support industrial decision‑making and policy analysis, the project introduced novel system‑dynamics‑based models for Cost‑Benefit Analysis (CBA). These models capture the complex and often intangible value streams associated with digital solutions, which are difficult to assess using traditional evaluation approaches.
Impact on Europe’s Energy Transition
By bringing together 24 partners, including 11 beneficiaries and 13 partner organizations, InnoCyPES successfully bridged the gap between academic research excellence and industrial application. The tools, methods, and trained experts emerging from the project provide a strong foundation for Europe’s transition towards a decentralized, resilient, and carbon‑neutral energy system.
