Meet ORION
ORION supports the transition to a sustainable, resilient, and cybersecure energy system, aligned with European climate goals, helping achieve a climate-neutral future by 2050.
Our Mission
ORION’s mission is to enable a higher degree of digitalization for energy stakeholders, facilitating better decision-making processes with the help of a human-centric Digital Twin, and ensuring sustainable and affordable energy access by integrating cutting-edge technology into renewable energy value chains.
Our Vision
To strengthen European leadership in renewable energy and technology, and support a global shift towards sustainable, digitalized, and resilient energy systems, ORION envisions using innovative digital components to optimize energy production, reduce emissions, and enhance the use of renewable energy globally.
Meet the consortium
SINTEF is one of Europe’s largest independent research organisations, contributing to ORION through the Sustainable Communication Technologies department (SINTEF Digital) with expertise on structural health monitoring using acoustic and vibration data.
SINTEF coordinates the ORION project while also contributing to the design and specifications of the overall structure of ORION’s components and leading the development of new sensor technologies, one of the Digital breakthrough components
INESC TEC is a private non-profit research association, with Public Interest status, dedicated to scientific research and technological development, technology transfer, advanced consulting and training, and pre-incubation of new technology-based companies.
INESC-TEC is responsible for leading the technical requirements analysis and the architecture design in the ORION project. Additionally, it plays a key role in the Portuguese use case developing open-source tools for fault detection and AI-driven reports on critical assets.
IMT is a public institution dedicated to higher education and research for innovation.
It is a key player in the fusion of science, engineering and digital technology, and takes its schools’ skills into the major fields of transformation in digital technology, industry, energy and the environment as well as their impact on the industry of the future, cities, health, and autonomy.
IMT Mines Albi and Telecom Sud Paris, two schools in IMT, play a key role in the ORION project by leading the development of data-driven models interoperability components. It is also responsible for activities related to standardisation and regulation.
RWTH Aachen University is one of Europe’s leading technical universities, contributing to ORION through the Institute for Automation of Complex Power Systems. The institute specializes in data and model interoperability components, integrating data modelling standards. Additionally, it supports the development of immersive digital twin applications through backend and frontend architecture, data integration, and user experience design.
In the ORION project, RWTH leads the Digital Breakthrough Components work package. Its responsibilities include developing data and model interoperability components and creating the ORION modular toolbox description. Additionally, RWTH supports use case testing and validation activities and contributes to the development of policy recommendations.
AugmentCity is a leading Digital Twin company providing smart, sustainable urban development solutions for various stakeholders. Their cloud-based platform allows cities to benchmark sustainability KPIs and enables collaborative urban planning through visualization, integrating digital elevation, BIM models, and data APIs. Recent projects include visualizing decarbonization infrastructure, simulating mobility, enhancing energy efficiency in buildings, live-editing terrain, and modelling sea-level rise in coastal cities.
In the ORION project, AUGM leads the testing and validation work package (WP4), focusing on use case activities and providing support for each of them. It is also actively engaged in developing digital breakthrough components, particularly by leading the creation of human-centric Digital Twin (DT) applications.
INOVA+ specialises in driving organisational growth through innovation, international cooperation, digital transformation, and access to funding. International collaboration is considered essential for differentiation and success. Based at the Innovation Centre of Matosinhos in Porto, INOVA+ also has offices in Brussels, Heidelberg, Warsaw, and Lisbon. With over 25 years of experience in international projects, the company supports businesses in navigating an interconnected global market through diverse services and a commitment to excellence.
INOVA leads the Impact Creation work package and is responsible for communication and dissemination activities, developing the exploitation strategy, and managing external relations.
EDP NEW is the R&D branch of EDP Group, a global energy company operating an integrated generation, customer and energy management business, with networks as an enabler of the energy transition. EDP NEW co-develop and validate novel solutions and business models for energy-related challenges.
In the ORION project, EDP leads the Portuguese use case as well as the requirements, design, and data governance work package. Additionally, it participates in developing digital asset information components and assists with testing and validation.
The Atlantic Technical University (UTA) is a public university based in Cape Verde, and its mission is to offer undergraduate and graduate education, research, and public services. UTA inherited 39 years of experience from its precedent institutions. Together with two other independent institutions, UTA forms the “CAMPUS DO MAR” of Cape Verde, established by the Government to prepare highly qualified professionals and promote applied research and international scientific cooperation in key areas for the development of Cape Verde such as blue, green, and digital economy, as well as aeronautics, tourism, and arts.
In the ORION project, UTA is responsible for the Cape Verde use case. It is also involved in the requirements and architecture design specifications.
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is one of the top teaching and research universities in Canada, with an international reputation for excellence across the humanities, sciences, arts, business, engineering and health sciences. The advanced control and diagnosis lab together with the ENTAIl lab in the Faculty of Engineering at Univ. of Alberta will lead the Canadian use case in the ORION project.
ALBE leads the Canadian use case in the ORION project, while also contributing to technical requirements analysis and the development of data and model interoperability components.
The Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), one of Brazil’s leading institutions, has a rich history dating back to the early 19th century and a distinguished reputation in teaching, research, and technological advancement. With strong partnerships with national and international companies—some with on-campus facilities—UFRJ fosters a dynamic collaboration between academia and industry. Its global reach includes over 200 partnerships with institutions across all continents, positioning UFRJ as a key player in international academic and research exchanges.
The Alternative Energy Sources Laboratory (LAFAE), housed within UFRJ, serves both undergraduate and graduate programs with a focus on research and technology development in the areas of renewable integration into traditional power systems, power electronics and energy transition. LAFAE will lead the Brazil use case in the ORION project.
In the ORION project, UFRJ leads the Brazilian use case, trough the LAFAE laboratory, focused on Geographically Distributed Simulation as a tool to implement Digital Twins, and is also involved in technical requirements analysis and the development of digital breakthrough components.
Sørsida Utvikling AS (SUAS) is a property development company 100 % owned by Ålesund Municipality. Sørsida will be developed into a model urban area with sustainable solutions that balance economic, environmental, and social sustainability goals. SUAS will emphasize its particular social responsibility and, in this context, will address public, port-related, and urban development considerations.
SUAS leads the Norwegian use case for port decarbonisation in the ORION project and is also involved in requirements collection.
Sigma energija d.o.o. (Sigma Energy) is a developer of wave energy conversion (WEC) technology. The company has been developing its proprietary WEC technology for more than 15 years. The latest result of its extensive development and testing track record is the 2022 deployment of a 15-kW device offshore Bar, Montenegro.
In the ORION project, SIGMA leads the Slovenian use case for wave energy and is also involved in collecting requirements.