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Open-source software helped Dutch distribution operator Alliander and French transmission operator RTE work on shared grid-modernization challenges without building every component alone. A March 2022 Linux Foundation Research case study describes their collaboration through LF Energy on three distinct projects: SEAPATH, CoMPAS, and OpenSTEF. The report says shared development could be up to ten times faster than proprietary-only work—but that is the case study’s claim, not a universal or independently measured industry benchmark.
Why two European utilities looked beyond building alone
Electricity grids designed for earlier operating conditions face new demands as renewable generation grows and becomes less predictable. Utilities must balance supply and demand while managing changing flows and congestion. The Linux Foundation Research report describes Alliander, a distribution system operator in the Netherlands, and RTE, a transmission system operator in France, as facing overlapping modernization needs despite working at different levels of the grid.
The report also points to limited specialized software-development capacity. One alternative was to build every needed system internally; another was to buy proprietary products and customize them. The case study argues that shared, open components can reduce duplicated work and supplier lock-in, while still allowing utilities and vendors to build differentiated products above common infrastructure. That approach requires coordination, documentation, and governance; open source does not make those costs disappear.
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The report gives historical context for Alliander’s pressure. It says the utility expected demand to double over the following ten years and had more than 900 congestion points at the time described. Those are report-era figures from 2022, not current forecasts or a count for 2026. The full report attributes these details to Alliander.
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What the three LF Energy projects were meant to do
The utilities did not collaborate on a single monolithic grid product. The case study presents three projects addressing different technical needs. Their roles below reflect the report’s descriptions, not a current feature comparison or controlled evaluation.
| Project | Function described in the report | Grid layer or workflow | Coordination challenge |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEAPATH | Virtualized platform and reference design for substation automation | Substation automation | Participants need to align on a shared platform and reference design while integrating it into their own environments. |
| CoMPAS | Configuration modules for power-industry automation systems | Configuration of automation systems | Shared modules depend on agreement about how systems are configured and how components work together. |
| OpenSTEF | Short-term energy forecasting software intended to provide more precise load forecasts | Forecasting for renewable integration and demand balancing | Participants must coordinate around a shared forecasting tool while applying it to their own operational needs. |
In the report, Alliander leader Allard Stam captures the reuse principle: “You don’t reinvent things. You reuse what’s available and build on top of it.” The quote is reproduced in the Linux Foundation Research case study.
How shared development can change the economics of modernization
When organizations build similar foundational software separately, they duplicate effort. With open collaboration, they can contribute to common components and share the work of improving them. The report’s central claim is that joining forces could enable more software solutions and development up to ten times faster than proprietary-only approaches. This is a finding presented by the case study, not a benchmark that establishes how fast any utility project will be.
The model also changes who has influence. Partners can contribute to shared infrastructure, and suppliers can create distinct offerings above it, but a participant gives up unilateral control over the shared project’s direction. The report describes RTE’s concern with this balance: after entering through open scenario modeling, it considered governance that could give partners confidence that the work would not be controlled only by RTE.
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Alliander’s earlier experience offered a caution. According to the report, an earlier open-source project failed because the organization was not culturally ready. Technical openness alone was not enough; people and processes had to support collaboration.
A practical playbook for utilities considering open source
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Start with a problem others share
Look for a real technical need that crosses organizational boundaries. A shared foundation is a stronger reason to collaborate than an abstract commitment to open source.
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Limit the first commitment
Begin with a bounded project so the initial investment and risk remain manageable. The report describes RTE’s initial commitment as 1% of developer resources; that is a historical figure reported in 2022, not a recommended allocation for every organization.
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Make collaboration legible
Invest in visible discussions, meetings, documentation, and written reasons for decisions. Partners need to understand not just what changed, but why.
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RTE’s Open Source Manager, Lucian Balea, warned in the report: “Initially, expect criticism, even internally, that things will take more time.” Early coordination can feel slower than a team acting alone; the case study’s argument is that shared investment may pay off by reducing duplicated work and expanding development capacity.
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What this case study does—and does not—show
Paving the Way to Battle Climate Change is a Linux Foundation Research case study authored by Shuli Goodman and published in March 2022, with a foreword by Jean-Michel Glachant. It records the experience and analysis presented in that report; it is not a controlled experiment, an independent audit of outcomes, or a current status report on the projects.
Its lessons are most directly relevant to organizations with shared software needs and the capacity to agree on governance across institutional boundaries. Alliander and RTE operate in different parts of the grid and in different national contexts, so their experience should not be treated as a universal template for every utility or country.
Read the official report summary, the full March 2022 report, the Linux Foundation blog summary, or the LF Energy case-study summary.
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