At LF Energy Summit 2024 in Brussels, Nico Rikken and Jonas van den Bogaard from Alliander shared their insights on transforming internal projects into open source initiatives. Their session, “Unlocking the Potential of Open Source: Transforming an Internal Project Into an Open Source Project,” highlighted best practices, challenges, and lessons learned from Alliander’s journey in building a collaborative, open source ecosystem (full video follows at the end).
Here are the key takeaways from their presentation:
1. The Role of the Open Source Program Office (OSPO)
Alliander’s Open Source Program Office (OSPO) plays a pivotal role in ensuring the successful transition of internal projects to open source. Jonas explained that the OSPO was established to facilitate open source adoption within the company and to guide projects through the process of becoming open source-ready. This office supports teams in aligning with open source principles, ensuring compliance, and managing contributions effectively. For Alliander, the OSPO has been instrumental in shaping a clear strategy for open source collaboration.
2. Motivations Behind Open Sourcing Projects
Nico emphasized that open source efforts at Alliander are driven by the need for innovation and collaboration. For Alliander, open source provides a way to accelerate development, especially in areas like load flow calculations, energy forecasting, and standards for grid operators. By releasing internal projects as open source, Alliander can work more effectively with other distribution system operators (DSOs) and external partners to address shared challenges and create scalable solutions that benefit the wider energy community.
3. Lessons Learned from Open Sourcing Projects
Reflecting on their experience, Nico and Jonas highlighted the importance of identifying key partners early in the process. Collaborating with external organizations helps ensure that the project gains traction and evolves with diverse input. They shared specific examples, such as the Grid Exchange Fabric (GXF) and OpenSTEF, which transitioned from internal projects to open source initiatives. These projects fostered partnerships within the LF Energy ecosystem, leading to broader adoption and community contributions.
4. The Legal and Technical Checks
Before releasing an internal project to open source, Alliander follows a structured checklist, which includes legal and technical assessments. This process ensures that all intellectual property (IP) concerns are addressed, and the project complies with open source licensing standards. Additionally, Nico emphasized the importance of ensuring high-quality documentation and code hygiene, making it easier for external developers to contribute. Security is another critical aspect—removing sensitive data like API keys and personal information is a top priority.
5. Engaging the Community
A recurring theme in the session was the need to actively engage with the open source community. While launching a project is important, maintaining and growing it requires continuous community outreach. Jonas and Nico underscored the value of transparency and collaboration, suggesting that organizations take time to build relationships with key contributors and stakeholders from the outset. Hosting events, publishing blogs, and sharing progress updates are all effective ways to keep the momentum going.
