There is less and less space available on the electricity grid to install and connect large-scale solar installations. At the same time, electric trucks require high levels of power from the electricity grid and an explosive increase in electric transport in the logistics sector is expected. The electricity grid can be used much more efficiently and effectively with smart system solutions.
Flexibility from Local Energy Hubs
Flexibility is one of the system solutions and involves the use of processes and systems that balance electricity supply and demand. On industrial sites, existing or new processes and systems are often relatively easy to connect to each other.
The Local Energy Hubs project therefore focuses on industrial sites where a scalable system solution, consisting of a decentralised energy infrastructure, is applied. It develops optimisation strategies for large-scale solar installations, energy storage systems, e-truck charging stations and renewable energy consumers. For example, the electricity produced by solar installations on industrial roofs can be stored in an energy storage system and used in the event of an electricity shortage. Another example is that the Local Energy Hub's consumption is managed by charging e-trucks with solar energy at a lower cost when there is an electricity surplus.
Connecting the processes and systems on industrial sites creates local flexibility that can be deployed when the electricity grid can no longer cope with demand (congestion management).
A guaranteed supply of flexibility makes it possible to use the same amount of renewable solar energy capacity locally for other connections. By linking consumption and generation within the Local Energy Hub, locally generated energy can also be consumed locally by connected companies within the industrial site. In addition, companies that would like to make their operations more sustainable through solar energy, but are currently unable to do so due to congestion restrictions, will soon have the opportunity to install a solar installation by connecting to a Local Energy Hub.
Pilot Local Energy Hubs
Several regions and municipalities where (renewable) energy is an important issue, support this project. The plan is to demonstrate Local Energy Hubs through pilots. Firan, Solar Valley, Heliox and Scholt Energy are currently launching 4 pilot(s) in the regions of Tilburg, Waalwijk and Zaltbommel. The results of these pilots will contribute to the development of a blueprint for future Local Energy Hubs on other industrial sites. ScaleUp Capital supports the parties involved with project management. They also provided support in drafting the project proposal.
MOOI-SIGOHE
The MOOI-SIGOHE subsidy stimulates initiatives for large-scale generation of renewable electricity. Out of 46 project proposals and 11 final project applications, Local Energy Hubs is among the 5 projects that were awarded a subsidy. These five partnerships received a total subsidy of over €13 million to work on solutions within the energy sector in the areas of: transport and distribution, storage and conversion and consumption. Parties from the entire chain work together to develop transversal system solutions with a high chance of success. The subsidy is part of the Top Sector Energy schemes and is implemented by the Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO) (the Netherlands Enterprise Agency) on behalf of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy.
Interested if your company can provide flexibility?
Please contact our Energy Transition Specialists.
