Goal: Testing ground for sustainable solutions against grid congestion
Mastering Grid Congestion
Grid congestion is a pressing issue in Southern Netherlands. The Brainport region, with TU/e Eindhoven at the heart of its economic spin-offs, faces limitations on expansion. At the time of this application, no party in North Brabant could obtain additional connection capacity. Both consumption and feed-in of electricity have reached the limits of grid capacity.
Project focus
To tackle these challenges, the project targeted three key objectives:
-
The development of a scalable energy management system for the campus to support congestion avoidance.
-
The creation of a publicly accessible digital twin, virtually projecting the energy balance of the energy campus and connecting it with nearby neighborhoods.
-
Providing a sustainable testing ground for startups and businesses where they could further develop products, concepts, and systems and accelerate their market introduction.
Two birds with one stone
TU/e developed a plan to solve the congestion problem with a consortium of companies while simultaneously setting up a sustainable testing ground. This testbed serves as a space for future innovations against grid congestion that can reach the market more rapidly.
By leveraging a control platform for various assets, more capacity for electrification is unlocked and grid congestion is prevented. The project supports SMEs, including startups, with opportunities to test and demonstrate innovations in a realistic environment. This enables them to further their contributions to the energy transition and ultimately bring them to market.
Enablemi’s role
Enablemi supported the project’s development by building the consortium—matching innovative partners—preparing the budget, and drafting project documents. With deep expertise and network, Enablemi helped align the partners and realize a comprehensive project plan as a solid basis for project execution.
Smart systems
The project’s innovative edge lies in the use of a private network (closed distribution system, GDS). This means operators are not dependent on the regional DSO (Enexis) and can act quickly and efficiently. Consideration is given to the adjacent public grid. Use is also made of a dedicated aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) network, granting startups within the university opportunities to test their innovations and serve as a springboard for applied scientific research. The project targets not only the deployment of systems and devices but also user behavior, further developing and involving innovative flex assets throughout the project.
Collaborating with Enablemi proved highly enjoyable due to their proactive approach, extensive experience, and clear, transparent communication. This resulted in the OPZuid-funded GENIUS project, which is distinguished not just as a remarkable and unique initiative, but also as a strategic project recognized by the Province of North Brabant.
Mark Cox, Senior Programme manager TU/e EIRES
The GENIUS project contributes to these Sustainable Development Goals
The win-win impact of GENIUS
This project has broad impact on the region, the business community, and the energy system. The eleven-party consortium works together to establish an innovative ecosystem. Together, they create a testing ground for innovative SMEs developing solutions for grid congestion, focusing on technology integration and providing room for applied scientific research.
Within this ecosystem, companies connect, not only fostering economic growth but also helping to develop solutions for more efficient energy management. This allows for more effective and expanded use of available capacity. Through this collaboration, SMEs get the opportunity to advance their innovations, while TU/e specifically addresses local grid congestion. The outcomes of this project also serve as an example for tackling regional grid congestion challenges.
Want to know more about these types of projects? Ask Hidde for advice.
