BEGONIA and the future of Europe’s digital backbone for energy and mobility

In the latest episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, we revisit the EU-funded BEGONIA project to explore how it is helping lay the foundations for next-generation Operational Digital Platforms (ODPs) in the energy and transport sectors.

Unlike conventional research initiatives, BEGONIA was designed as a coordination and support action, focused on preparing the ground for large-scale digital cooperation. As Niccolò Fattirolli, COO of Olivo Energy and lead for stakeholder engagement, explains, the project’s mission has been to identify best practices across Europe, develop promising use cases and bring them close to real-world implementation.

Since its launch in 2024, BEGONIA has followed a rigorous selection and development process. From an initial pool of 14 concepts, the consortium narrowed its focus to six advanced use cases and ultimately selected three with the strongest potential for deployment. These platforms were examined from regulatory, technical, governance and economic perspectives, resulting in mature and scalable models.

A central theme of the discussion is BEGONIA’s evolving understanding of ODPs. More than simple data spaces, these platforms are strategic ecosystems that enable service orchestration across borders and sectors. One highlighted example integrates electric mobility, renewable energy forecasting, dynamic pricing and grid balancing, bringing together drivers, grid operators, retailers and aggregators within a single digital environment.

While technological solutions are largely in place, regulatory fragmentation remains the main challenge. BEGONIA has therefore aligned its work closely with European legislation, including the Data Act and Data Governance Act, ensuring that its outputs are future-proof.

Looking ahead, the project’s legacy lies in its ODP concept, developed use cases and upcoming blueprint and white paper. Through webinars, knowledge-transfer initiatives and stakeholder engagement, BEGONIA aims to support wider adoption and replication.

In doing so, the project demonstrates that Europe’s digital future will depend not only on innovation, but on collaboration, interoperability and shared strategic vision.

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Listen to previous episodes:

EU Energy Projects Podcast: Advancing AC-DC hybrid electricity networks
EU Energy Projects Podcast: Chronicle, Reflex and EFORT: Strengthening buildings, flexibility and cybersecurity in Europe’s energy system