Start Research Project Local Energy Hubs: A Scalable System Solution for Industrial Estates

Start research project Local Energy Hubs: a scalable system solution for industrial estates

To use sustainably generated energy flexibly and locally, Firan, Solar Valley, Heliox and Scholt Energy have started the Local Energy Hubs research project. Local Energy Hubs focuses on developing a decentralized energy infrastructure aimed at optimizing solar power, energy storage, charging stations for E-trucks and consumers of sustainable energy on industrial sites. Last December 2021, the MOOI-SIGOHE scheme was awarded a subsidy for a total amount of over €13 million to 5 projects, including Local Energy Hubs.

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 demand high 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 better with smart system solutions.

Flexibility from Local Energy Hubs

Flexibility is one of those system solutions and means deploying processes and systems that balance the demand or supply of electricity. In industrial areas, existing or new processes and systems are often relatively easy to link together.

The Local Energy Hubs project therefore focuses on industrial sites where a scalable system solution, consisting of a decentralized energy infrastructure, is applied. It develops optimization strategies for large-scale solar installations, energy storage systems, charging stations for E-trucks and consumers of sustainable energy. For example, the electricity produced from 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 consumption of the Local Energy Hub is controlled by charging E-trucks with the solar energy at a lower cost when there is an electricity surplus.

Linking the processes and systems on industrial estates creates local flexibility that can be deployed when the electricity network can no longer cope with the demand for electricity (congestion management).

A guaranteed supply of flexibility makes it possible to use the same amount of sustainable solar energy locally for other connections. By linking consumption and generation within the Local Energy Hub, locally generated energy can also be consumed locally by affiliated companies within the industrial estate. In addition, companies that would like to become more sustainable through solar energy, but are unable to do so due to restrictions due to congestion, will soon be given the opportunity to install a solar installation by linking it to a Local Energy Hub.

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Pilot Local Energy Hubs

Various regions and municipalities where (renewable) energy is an important topic are supporting this project. The plan is to demonstrate Local Energy Hubs through pilots. Firan, Solar Valley, Heliox and Scholt Energy are currently starting up four pilot(s) in the regions of Tilburg, Waalwijk and Zaltbommel. The results of these pilots contribute to the development of a blueprint for future Local Energy Hubs at other industrial estates. ScaleUp Capital supports the parties involved with project management. They also provided support in drawing up the project proposal.

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MOOI-SIGOHE

The MOOI-SIGOHE subsidy stimulates initiatives for large-scale generation of renewable electricity. Of the 46 project proposals and 11 final project applications, Local Energy Hubs is one of the 5 awarded projects to which a subsidy has been awarded. These five partnerships received a total amount of more than €13 million in grants to work on solutions within the energy sector in the areas of: transport and distribution, storage and conversion, and use. Parties from the entire chain work together to develop transcending system solutions with a high chance of success. The subsidy is part of the Top Sector Energy Schemes and is implemented by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) on behalf of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate.

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About Firan

As Alliander's specialist in infrastructure (system integrator) for new energy, Firan makes the sustainable energy of the future accessible to everyone. Together with municipalities, housing associations, project developers, energy producers and other partners, Firan works on smart energy solutions for buildings, areas and municipalities. They develop, realize and operate energy infrastructures that are ready for the world of tomorrow. Firan is a market leader with infrastructure solutions such as cable pooling, energy hubs and off-grid grids, which combine expertise on legal, organisational, technical and financial aspects with practical tooling for, among other things, energy management and matchmaking between producers and consumers of sustainable energy. energy.

Website - https://www.firan.nl/

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About Solar Valley

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The Solar Valley companies in Waalwijk and Tilburg are independent producers of solar energy on business premises. Solar Valley's regional approach is transforming industrial sites into energy sites, making a major contribution to regional energy transitions. Solar Valley's shareholders are the participating property owners and new projects are increasingly faced with network congestion. This has two consequences:

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(1) The SDE projects already in place do not receive a permit from the grid operator to supply solar energy back to the grid. This has such a negative impact on the business case that projects are subsequently cancelled.

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(2) As a result of the negative transport indication, new initiatives in congestion areas are excluded from the SDE++ subsidy, as a result of which the large-scale roll-out of PV installations comes to an immediate halt. Project developer Solar Valley experiences that a large part of the (new) projects cannot be carried out as a result.
By participating in the Local Energy Hubs project, Solar Valley expects to contribute to solving the grid congestion problem and the further roll-out of solar energy on industrial sites.

Website - https://www.solar-valley.nl/

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About Heliox

As a supplier of part of the solution, Heliox has established itself in recent years as a strong player in the field of fast chargers for electric buses. Heliox sees the trend in electrification increasing and, among other things, due to stricter legislation in the supply of inner cities, the share of e-trucks is growing. With the developments within this project, they are bringing an additional asset to the market with V2G for e-trucks. At the same time, they facilitate an accelerated transition to electrification in the transport sector. Given the expected explosive increase, the use of e-trucks for balance and flexibility in the electricity grid will play a major role in the future

Website: https://www.heliox-energy.com/

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About Scholt Energy

Scholt Energy from Valkenswaard is an energy partner for the business market in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Austria. Scholt has more than 10,000 customers and a turnover of 800 million euros in 2021. The organization combines 17 years of market experience with a very personal, customer-oriented approach. The energy supply is aimed at proactive advice and risk spreading, by combining fixed and variable prices. Scholt helps its customers with all energy matters, from energy saving to solar panels and automated control of energy flows. The main goal: a long-term partnership. Scholt Energy has the ambition to control the (future) decentralized energy network with its activities in the field of flexibility and thereby accelerate the energy transition. Scholt currently manages a pool with the largest number of individual batteries on the Dutch FCR market (primary reserve power), and also actively manages a portfolio of, among others, wind turbines, CHPs and cold stores in the emergency power market (tertiary reserve power).

Website: https://www.scholt.nl/

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