Limiting Volatility in Low Voltage Networks
The LVLV project (Limiting Volatility in Low Voltage Networks) aims to compare different national approaches to limiting and managing residual load volatility in low-voltage (LV) networks. The energy transition is leading to a rapid increase in energy fed into the grid from renewable sources, such as photovoltaics, as well as the electrification of consumption, including electric vehicles and heat pumps. These factors are changing load profiles and the risk of overloading the grid infrastructure.
Based on the analysis of different strategies — variable tariffs, direct load control, flexible contracts and local markets — the project aims to develop and test an optimal, scalable solution. Its ultimate goal is to ensure the safe and reliable operation of distribution networks, while maximising their capacity to host new renewable energy sources without the need for costly upgrades to physical infrastructure. The project combines advanced simulations with field tests carried out across five European countries: Austria, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Turkey.
The technologies of Maps S.p.A. for the LVLV project
Within the international partnership, Maps S.p.A. involves its company Maps Energy S.r.l., combining its expertise in Digital Transformation and data analytics applied to energy engineering. The company plays a key role in managing field data and supporting the simulation of the system’s flexibility potential.
The specific role of Maps S.p.A.
- Data Integration and Simulation for the Italian Pilot (WP5): For the field test in Italy, Maps S.p.A. will integrate high-frequency real data, with readings every 15 minutes, from more than 6,500 PODs and various production plants into the BrainWatt software. This will make it possible to simulate future photovoltaic growth scenarios and estimate the actual flexibility potential of the network.
- Support for the Development of the Optimal Solution (WP4): Maps S.p.A. will take part in the validation and testing phase of the optimisation algorithms, assessing operational performance and simulating the effectiveness of the various tariff and flexibility mechanisms for the Italian market.
- Data and Requirements Analysis (WP2): Maps S.p.A. will contribute to identifying data sources and pre-processing pipelines to correctly feed the international simulation environments.
- Technical and Social Analysis of Results (WP6): Maps S.p.A. will collaborate in assessing the technical KPIs of the different flexibility strategies and take part in the analysis of behavioural impacts, evaluating how the tested approaches influence end-user consumption patterns.
The other LVLV partners
The consortium brings together industrial companies, distribution system operators (DSOs) and leading European universities:
- AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH (Austria): general project coordinator, with extensive expertise in grid planning, TSO-DSO interaction and digitalisation.
- CEIS – Consorzio Elettrico Industriale di Stenico (Italy): a long-standing cooperative and DSO in the province of Trento, providing the grid infrastructure, renewable energy plants and data from more than 6,500 users to support the Italian use case and pilot test in close synergy with Maps S.p.A.
- TU Wien and PHIOS GmbH (Austria): lead the development of the Python-based grid simulation environment, dynamic tariff analysis and data management.
- HSBI, SWB and RPTU (Germany): universities and a local utility focused on identifying grid overloads in 55 transformer substations and developing the multi-objective control and optimisation algorithm.
- INESC-ID, E-REDES and Eneida.io (Portugal): a research centre, the country’s main DSO and a technology company working on the deployment of next-generation IoT sensors to ensure maximum observability and state estimation of the low-voltage network.
- GDZ and INELSO (Turkey): a distribution operator and an SME specialising in system integration, which will test an Energy Management System (EMS) to manage a cloud-based energy storage system (SaaS) serving seasonal users.
More details about LVLV
| Project Acronym | LVLV |
| Full title | Limiting Volatility in Low Voltage Networks |
| Funding programme | CETPartnership Joint Call 2024 (Co-funding for Italy by MUR – Ministry of University and Research) |
| Project Coordinator | AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH |
| Project start date | 01 October 2025 |
| Duration | 36 months |
| Project call | CETPartnership Joint Call 2024 (modulo CM2024-02) |