How can climate targets be achieved across sectors?
USEFLEDS stands for Unleashing Sector-coupling Flexibility by means of an Energy Data Space.
Launched in 2023, this flagship project focuses on advancing data exchange across the energy market. Through a range of use cases, USEFLEDS is developing models and technical solutions for cross-sector monitoring and control of energy flows. Energy producers and consumers – including companies and organizations subject to ESG reporting requirements – are being connected to work together transparently towards shared climate targets.
The energy sector benefits from smart data management
To support ESG reporting, the project is researching the “ESG Super Tool” – a data-driven service designed to efficiently manage the shared energy data space. Within this ecosystem, all participants should be able to share data with different data-processing systems for clearly defined purposes, without having to collect the same data repeatedly for each individual application. At the same time, they retain control and sovereignty throughout the entire data journey – ensuring that data is shared neither indiscriminately nor without authorization.
akaryon is also contributing to USEFLEDS in this context. Together with project partner Alexander Steger of the Sustainable Development Agency, akaryon is working on data integration based on its ESG management software ESG-Cockpit, which provides a comprehensive API framework. The technical infrastructure for the “ESG Super Tool” is being developed by the tech start-up nexyo, which specializes in data ecosystems and sovereign data exchange, together with Onlim, a Conversational AI platform.
USEFLEDS: Unleashing Sector-coupling Flexibility by means of an Energy Data Space
The USEFLEDS project runs from 2023 to 2027 and is funded under the FFG Digital Technologies 2022 programme. The project is coordinated by Forschung Burgenland GmbH and brings together 14 partners from research, education and industry, including major energy providers.
Alexander Steger and his Sustainable Development Agency are among the project partners. Together with akaryon GmbH, a company specializing in sustainability and digitalization, and its ESG management solution ESG-Cockpit, he has spent the past months developing a technical prototype for data integration.
akaryon: More than 25 years of IT for sustainable development
akaryon – headquartered in Styria with an additional location in Vienna – has been developing web applications for the environment and energy sectors for more than 25 years. Its digital solutions focus on complex calculations, including CO₂ emissions and impact assessments, as well as reporting and monitoring (www.esg-cockpit.com). akaryon also regularly participates in and coordinates national and international projects, working closely with partners from research, education and industry. Its project portfolio ranges from municipal initiatives to national and European programmes, including projects with a global dimension, for example in Asia.
Alexander Steger / Sustainable Development Agency: Sustainability – innovative and strategic
For more than 20 years, Alexander Steger has combined his professional career with his passion for sustainability, innovation and strategy. Since 2022, he has led the Sustainable Development Agency, which he founded in Innsbruck, where he advises companies and public institutions on sustainability, digitalization and strategic development. At the same time, he is an external lecturer at FH Kufstein, where he teaches courses on the circular economy and innovative business models. As head of the aeoon digital institute, he has also implemented digitalization and sustainability projects and initiated research collaborations. In addition, he has been involved in founding other companies such as Waterbird Systems and NAU Travel, consistently focusing on forward-looking solutions.
nexyo – Connecting data securely, interoperably and with trust
nexyo develops the Data Trust Hub – a scalable software solution for secure, EU-compliant data exchange in the AI-driven data economy. The solution provides automated usage rights, real-time tracking and data governance based on open standards such as those developed by the International Data Spaces Association (IDSA), Eclipse Data Components (EDC) and W3C Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs). Whether in the energy sector, industry, healthcare or the public sector, nexyo connects data in a sovereign, interoperable and trusted manner.
Onlim – Automated communication solutions and Conversational AI
Onlim is an Austrian high-tech SME offering AI solutions for automating customer communication via chatbots, voicebots, email and messaging services. Its Multichannel Conversational AI platform enables companies to create, manage and distribute content across channels. The technology is based on cutting-edge research, particularly in the fields of semantic technologies and knowledge graphs, enabling a deeper understanding of natural-language interactions and improved access to knowledge. Onlim’s Conversational AI solution is ideally suited to industries such as energy, tourism, financial services, healthcare, media and publishing.