Bridging theory and practice in Sustainable Energy - an interview with Marie & Sofie

Through courses like machine learning in electricity markets and power system optimisation, they bring advanced knowledge to Spirii, exploring innovative ways to integrate EVs into energy markets and stabilise the grid.

What are you studying ?

Marie: I am studying for an MSc at DTU in Sustainable Energy, where I am specialising in Digital Energy Systems.

Sofie: I am studying for a master's in Sustainable Energy at DTU - specialising in Energy System Analysis.

How do your studies connect to the work you’re doing at Spirii?

Marie: In our studies, we focus a lot on the energy market, e.g. through courses such as machine learning in electricity markets, and optimisation in modern power systems. With the electrification of EVs, it is given, that … A lot of the knowledge we retrieve from our studies is directly applicable to the analysis we do in Future Tech regarding our interest in how EVs can be part of energy markets and stabilising the grid. Reversely we get a practical approach from the analysis we do at Spirii, that we can apply to our studies. This is also made possible because we experience a lot of freedom to choose what we want to investigate and analyse in our work at Spirii. All in all, our studies and the work we do at Spirii is very connected and we have a great opportunity to develop as engineers.

We are student assistants in Future Tech where the primary focus at the moment is Ancillary Services.

Sofie: As student assistants in Future Tech, our current focus centers on ancillary services, a critical area within energy markets. Through our studies, which include specialised courses such as machine learning in electricity markets and optimisation in modern power systems, we gain in-depth knowledge that directly informs our work in Future Tech. This expertise is particularly valuable as we explore innovative ways to integrate electric vehicles (EVs) into energy markets and enhance grid stability.

Working with Spirii, we bridge theory with practice; the analyses we conduct not only ground our academic learning but also expand our practical understanding. Spirii’s supportive environment gives us the freedom to pursue topics of interest, making our investigations deeply impactful. This dynamic synergy between our studies and our work at Spirii empowers us to grow as future engineers with hands-on experience in a rapidly evolving field.

Sofie: My study mainly revolves around how we can integrate different energy solutions and new technologies into the energy system, and how these technologies can interact in the system in the most optimal way.  My work in Spirii connects very well with my studies, as we in Future Tech do a lot of research on how EVs can interact with the energy system in the future. Our current focus is a lot on how EVs can work as ancillary services to help balance the grid, which is also a very hot topic at DTU, where I was introduced to this concept. When I go to work I am able to apply what I learn in my studies to real cases, and it is very exciting to be part of this fast-going development in this area.

You have built an amazing tool that you just presented internally in Spirii. Let´s dive into that. Can you describe the tool you've developed (in short) and its primary purpose?

Sofie: We have developed a tool that can be used internally in the company to get a better overview of the current situation in the different balancing markets, and automise some of the calculations we have been doing in Future Tech. In the tool we have visualised the prices of different ancillary service markets in different regions.The tool is also able to estimate the revenue of bidding into the FCR market based on expected consumption and historical prices.

Marie: We think this tool will give open access to Spirii internally on what the future is in grid service markets which eventually will create alignment on what the future is for e-mobility - both in terms of stabilising the grid but also where the 3rd wave revenue streams are.

What problem or gap did you aim to address with this tool?

Marie: One part of the tool is to have better and more accessible insights for ourselves and our co-workers, into how the the trends in different energy markets are. It was therefore a way to assess the problem of not having a single entry into having data visualisations on energy markets. There has also been growing interest in utilising EVs to provide grid services and demand response from our partners, why the other part is to get an understanding of Spirii and how our partners can revenue from providing Ancillary Services to the grid.

What was the biggest “aha!” moment you had while developing this tool?

The importance of being able to explain and show complex topics in a simple way. We know a lot about ancillary services, the different types of markets, synchronous areas, and grid zones, but other people using the tool might not know as much, and therefore we found that it was important to make the tool very clear and explanatory in simple steps.

How did you approach designing and developing the tool? Any challenges along the way?

Marie: Since we are quite experienced with using the programming language Python, we preferred that tool. One major challenge when developing this tool, was sourcing high-quality data. The internet is filled with data, however not all data is publicly available and those that are, can have very different structures, some are not updated regularly and some are not reliable due to low frequency updates.

Sofie: Before developing the tool our focus was mainly on the Danish Balancing markets and prices, but we wanted the tool to include markets in most of Europe, therefore we started searching for data for the different countries. After that, it was a matter of generalising some of the calculations we had already done many times and building it up around a nice and understandable interface. Developing the tool gave us many insights into the different markets.

What aspects of working at Spirii do you find most inspiring or fulfilling?

Sofie: To be able to work with the newest topics and to be part of this fast going development when it comes to EVs and how they can integrate with the energy system in a smart way.

Marie: I really appreciate how progressive we are. People in all departments are constantly looking for new opportunities and ways to make Spirii both a better working space, but also approach how charging of electrified transport can help the stabilisation of the future grid and thereby be a driver in decarbonisation. This stabilisation is so essential, as the grid today is not prepared for the immense electrification of all other sectors. There is no way around doing demand response, whether that is in industry, homes, or EVs - we have to figure out a way to support renewable energy sources. Also, Spirii is really fun and young - fun parties, good coffee, and very social.

What skills or insights have you gained at Spirii that you wouldn’t get in a classroom setting?

Marie: During my studies, EVs are talked about a lot. It is well known among my classmates that EVs will be part of the electricity grid. However, it is really valuable to get insights into what the restriction are to this integration of demand response.

How does Spirii integrate students into the team and projects?

Sofie: We are very well integrated into the team, and we are also part of different projects. As an example, we went (only me and Marie) to Milan to be part of the kickoff of the EU project AHEAD which Spirii is part of.

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