OptiStore Reaches Key Milestone with New Infrastructure Commissioned and EMS Development Underway

Nicosia, Cyprus – May 2025 – Petrolina Electric and The Cyprus Institute announce a major milestone in the OptiStore project, as all new equipment has now been purchased, installed, tested and commissioned, and work has begun on building the new Energy Management System (EMS) that will sit at the heart of the OptiStore platform.

From Design to Reality

During the first phase of the project, OptiStore moved from planning and design to real infrastructure on the ground. The partners have completed the deployment of new energy assets at both pilot sites, creating a robust foundation for testing advanced optimisation strategies in real Cypriot market conditions.

New Equipment at PROTEAS

At The Cyprus Institute’s PROTEAS Facility, the following upgrades have been successfully commissioned:

• A Hybrid PV–Battery System (30kW–60kWh)
• A C&I Stand Alone Battery System (50kW–100kWh)
• A V2G-ready bidirectional EV charger
• Upgraded control, metering and monitoring systems integrating solar PV, wind generation, battery storage and thermal systems

Upgraded Control Systems and First Tests

The control architecture at PROTEAS has been enhanced to coordinate all assets as a unified microgrid. Initial test campaigns have confirmed the reliable operation of the new systems and have generated valuable data on how different combinations of PV, storage and loads behave under realistic operating scenarios.

Building the New Petrolina Electric EMS

With the infrastructure in place, OptiStore has entered the next phase: the development of Petrolina Electric’s new EMS. The system will:

• Monitor all relevant assets (PV, batteries, EV charging, flexible loads)
• Incorporate electricity market prices and basic forecasts
• Propose and later automate operating strategies that reduce energy costs and increase the use of renewable energy

The project ENTERPRISES/ENERGY/1123/0054 is implemented within the framework of the Cyprus Recovery and Resilience Plan “Cyprus_Tomorrow” ("Κύπρος__το αύριο"), with finding from the European Union – Next Generation EU, through the Research and Innovation Foundation.