From lab to grid: how hybrid microgrids could transform Europe's power systems

After a 5-year journey, the European energy initiative TIGON has delivered real-world validation of high-voltage, hybrid microgrids that can slash energy losses, improve resilience, and accelerate the shift to decentralised power. What began as a technical experiment may now shape a new era of smarter, self-sustaining energy systems across Europe

Montserrat Lanero is no stranger to complex systems. As project coordinator at Fundación CIRCE, she has spent the past five years overseeing Tigon—a large-scale European effort to develop smarter, stronger power grids. Backed by the EU's Horizon 2020 programme and involving fifteen partners from across eight countries, Tigon set out to design and demonstrate a new kind of energy infrastructure: hybrid microgrids that combine AC and DC architectures, operate at unprecedented voltage levels and are resilient enough to face future climate shocks.

"It wasn't just about proving a technical concept," Lanero explains. "We wanted to show that resilient, decentralised grids can actually work in the real world—and that they can support the energy transition, starting now."

At a time when power outages caused by extreme weather are becoming more frequent, the need for local, efficient and self-sustaining grid systems has never been greater. TIGON addressed this by testing high-voltage DC microgrids, integrating advanced converters, and demonstrating that power can be maintained even when the main grid fails. "Our goal," she adds, "was to reduce energy losses, increase autonomy, and contribute to the next generation of smart grid design."

As the project approaches its conclusion, Montserrat Lanero and her team have held thier final meeting—a moment to take stock of the technologies developed, the challenges faced and the collaborations that made TIGON possible. In this interview, she reflects on the lessons learned and the legacy the project is ready to leave behind.

What was the core goal of TIGON, and why is it so relevant today?

Our aim was to demonstrate a more efficient, reliable and secure grid topology—one that supports the integration of renewables and DC loads. Traditional grids aren't built to handle decentralised energy and climate-related disruptions. Hybrid microgrids, like those we tested, can operate autonomously during outages, reducing losses and stabilising the system. That makes them essential for resilience and disaster prevention.

You worked with unusually high voltage for a DC system—3,000 volts. What's the benefit?

Most DC grids operate at 700 to 1,500 volts. We raised the bar to 3,000 volts to test whether we could transfer more power with lower current. That means better efficiency, lower energy losses and less need for copper wiring. This could help reduce infrastructure costs and improve performance—especially in dense urban settings or industrial zones.

What were the most significant outcomes of the project?

We advanced several technical aspects. We improved monitoring and controllability, developed a new DC protection system, and built a cybersecurity framework that meets real-time requirements. We also assessed the potential for replication—for example, in the Naantali residential district in Finland and in the Sofia metro, where regenerative braking energy is mostly wasted, by studying the integration of energy storage systems and bi-directional DC converters. These use cases show that TIGON's results are not only technically sound, but also practically applicable.

What kind of challenges did you face?

There were many. From a technical side, the lack of mature standards and compatible components for DC architectures was a barrier. Integrating cybersecurity into a live demo system was also complex. But perhaps the biggest challenge was managing the project through the pandemic and supply chain crisis. Despite that, we successfully validated key technologies like solid-state transformers and advanced converters in real demo environments.

Let's talk about those demo sites. What did they demonstrate?

The French demo at CEA-INES (a large research facility belonging to the French Institute for Solar Energy, near Chambéry) focused on integrating large shares of renewable energy, using DC converters and solid-state transformers to ensure a stable and secure operation. The Spanish site at CEDER-CIEMAT (Centre for the Development of Renewable Energy Sources, Soria) explored a flexible architecture using battery storage, highlighting enhanced grid resilience and controllability in low-voltage networks. We're still finalising power transfer tests, but both sites played a vital role in validating our solutions.

How complex is it to manage such a large and diverse consortium?

It wasn't easy. The pandemic, equipment delays, and coordination between teams required constant adjustment. Aligning schedules and ensuring all partners stayed focused on the objectives was challenging. But I'm proud of how we worked together—the integration and validation of our technologies wouldn't have been possible without everyone's commitment.

And on a personal level—what was the most rewarding moment of this five-year journey?

Definitely the deployment of the demonstrators. Seeing the technologies we designed and built actually operating on the ground was a major milestone. It wasn't easy—manufacturing and validating this equipment was a complex process—but it was also very rewarding. And now, with our final event coming up, I look forward to reconnecting with our partners and discussing how TIGON can inspire the next steps.

What role should European institutions play in enabling this transition?

Their support is fundamental. Developing and testing these innovations requires time and substantial resources: it's difficult for a single company to take on that burden alone. In addition, there's a clear lack of regulatory frameworks for hybrid grids. One of TIGON's contributions is to provide recommendations that could help guide the next generation of energy standards.

Will TIGON's work continue beyond the project?

Yes, absolutely. We are already coordinating a new Horizon Europe project, THEUS, which will build on TIGON's foundation. It focuses on hybrid DC grids and aims to reduce energy losses and operational costs through real-life applications in four different countries. TIGON's tools and technologies laid the groundwork for this. Our hope is to see these solutions evolve further—and to help update standards and funding schemes to support their deployment.

Interview by Martino De Mori

Photo credit: CIRCE

Background

TIGON is funded by the EU's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme and has a budget of roughly €7m. It forms part of the EU's broader policy of building a low-carbon, climate-resilient future.

Online channels

Website: tigon-project.eu

LinkedIn: @tigon-project

X: @tigon-project

Press contact

Mark Thompson

Fondazione iCons
info@tigon-project.eu

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