The blueprint behind the energy transition: how Charging Energy Hubs are making the grid smarter
In the Charging Energy Hubs (CEH) project, Dutch companies, knowledge institutions and government bodies are working together to build the future of electric charging. By connecting solar energy, batteries, charging infrastructure and smart software, energy hubs are created that make optimal use of the electricity grid and create flexibility during peak loads. This not only makes electric freight transport more reliable and affordable, but also opens up new opportunities for energy trading and sustainable business operations.
Unique to the project is the collaboration within a consortium of 27 parties – from TU Eindhoven to Heliox and TNO – who are working together to develop a Charging Energy Hub at three pilot locations. In this conversation, Winifred Roggekamp, system architect at ElaadNL, and Ronald Kats, CTO at Maxem, explain how they are building a future in which electric logistics and smart energy systems go hand in hand.
The conductor of a new energy system
Kats kicks off the conversation with a comparison to clarify the concept: ‘A Charging Energy Hub is like a network of smart players who respond to each other in real time. Just like in an orchestra, the conductor sets the rhythm.’
In CEH, this direction is reflected in the way different systems work together. The Central Control System (CCS) – an innovation from the project – forms the coordination point. It ensures that subsystems within an Energy Hub, such as assets, energy management, planning and safety systems, recognise each other, connect and remain operational. New assets automatically register via the CCS and are immediately incorporated into the Energy Hub.
The Energy Management System (EMS) builds on this. ‘The EMS controls the energy flows,’ explains Kats. ‘It determines how charging stations, solar panels and batteries work together so that vehicles are charged on time and fully – within the limits of the grid connection.’
A practical example illustrates this. A logistics company working with Maxem had invested in electric lorries but soon realised that its existing electricity contract did not offer sufficient capacity to charge multiple vehicles at the same time. ‘By making smart use of solar energy and using batteries as a buffer, the EMS controls exactly when and how much is charged,’ says Kats. ‘This makes it possible to charge all trucks on time and fully. Every morning, the fully charged trucks leave without the grid peaking.’
The blueprint: a language that everyone speaks
Within CEH, Roggekamp works on the system architecture – the blueprint that describes how all components within a Charging Energy Hub communicate with each other. ‘Today, each system still speaks its own language,’ he says. ‘Devices such as batteries, charging stations and energy storage systems each use their own protocol. We ensure that they understand each other and communicate in the same language.’
He compares it to traffic rules. ‘If everyone adheres to the same rules, you know who is doing what and you avoid collisions. That's exactly what the blueprint does: it defines how a Charging Energy Hub is structured technically and organisationally, so that everyone can build in the same way.’
The blueprint will soon become the basis for local authorities, project developers and suppliers. ‘A local authority that wants to set up a hub can base its plans on these principles. A developer who wants to build multiple hubs knows what the standards are. And suppliers can connect their systems to this without having to start from scratch every time.’
According to Roggekamp, the biggest benefit is future-proofing. ‘Today you may be working with supplier A, but in three years' time, B will have something better. With our blueprint, you can easily switch, because the interfaces are fixed in the desired functionality. Your system grows with the technology.’
Practical application: from theory to test environment
The transition from concept to practical application is taking place at three pilot locations, including TSN Groen, a logistics company that wants to make its last mile delivery fully electric.
‘At TSN Groen, we link transport planning and charging planning,’ explains Kats. ‘They know exactly when each vehicle leaves and returns. Based on this, the EMS determines when to charge, how much energy comes from the sun or the battery, and how to distribute it most efficiently. Even the weather is taken into account: if we know there will be little sun, we plan the charging differently.’
In addition, the system looks ahead to the energy market. Kats: ‘Charging Energy hubs can respond to price fluctuations or shortages in the grid. For example, they can feed energy back into the grid when demand is high. This means that charging is not only a cost item, but also an opportunity to actively contribute to grid stability.’
The coming months are crucial. ‘We want to see the first results in March,’ Kats continues. ‘We don't expect everything to work perfectly right away – mistakes are part of the process. But that's where we learn the most. Everything we discover is incorporated into the blueprint.’
‘Energy hubs can respond to price fluctuations or shortages in the grid,’
Why Charging Energy Hubs are indispensable
There is a great need for these kinds of smart systems. ‘The electricity grid is full,’ says Roggekamp. ‘Without innovative solutions such as CEH, companies cannot continue to electrify. Then we will be forced to continue driving diesel vehicles.’
New types of contracts are helping in this regard. ‘The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) is introducing contracts that are better suited to flexible consumption,’ he explains. ‘Our blueprint already takes this into account. This way, grid operators know that a hub will operate safely and efficiently within those agreements.’
Kats adds: "The challenge is not just peak consumption. Companies sign contracts based on maximum capacity, which sometimes remains partially unused. However, if this capacity is exceeded, the costs can rise sharply. With a CEH, you can make optimal use of that capacity and avoid exceeding it. It also creates opportunities for sharing connections and joint contracts. Smart optimisation makes it possible for multiple parties to use the same grid capacity without interfering with each other."
Interoperability as the key to acceleration
Both Roggekamp and Kats emphasise that standardisation is the biggest accelerator. ‘If everyone continues to build their own solution, we won't get anywhere,’ says Roggekamp. ‘Then you end up with customised solutions that cost a lot of time and money.’
Kats recognises this from practice. ‘It has worked for charging stations – thanks to the OCPP protocol, all charging stations can communicate with all systems. But this is not yet the case for batteries. Every new battery requires separate integration. That takes time. CEH also wants to establish a common language here.’
He compares it to the days of different telephone plugs. ‘Every manufacturer had its own cable. It was only when everyone switched to a single universal connection that things started to move quickly. That's what we want to achieve with CEH: a single standard that everyone can move forward with.’
Safety as a prerequisite
In addition to efficiency and interoperability, cybersecurity is a strict requirement. ‘The capacities we work with are enormous,’ warns Roggekamp. ‘If someone were to break into a system and switch everything on or off at once, it could shut down large parts of the grid.’
That is why security is built into the architecture. ‘Not everyone has access to everything,’ he says. ‘The battery manager cannot simply log into the charging system, and vice versa. We are developing a central control layer that ensures this. That makes the hubs not only smart, but also secure.’
‘If someone were to break into a system and turn everything on or off at once, it could shut down large parts of the grid.’
Collaboration as the key to success
What strikes Roggekamp most about the project is the commitment of all partners. ‘I have participated in other subsidy projects, but here everyone is truly motivated to achieve something. It's not about what you get out of it, but what you build together.’
Kats agrees. ‘Cooperation between the market, knowledge institutions and government is essential. Technical innovation is advancing rapidly, but regulations and governance must keep pace. Fortunately, network operators and governments are now also on board. They recognise that we urgently need solutions like this – we cannot dig new cables everywhere.’
Impact on the logistics sector
The effects of CEH extend beyond technology. ‘For the logistics sector, this is the way to keep moving,’ says Kats. ‘If cities introduce zero-emission zones in 2030, supplies will have to be electric. Charging Energy Hubs on the outskirts of the city make that possible.’
Such a hub acts as a link between the large transport flow and electric city distribution. ‘Large lorries arrive outside the city, load or unload there, and smaller electric vehicles take the goods further,’ he explains. ‘The electricity is generated and stored locally. It's smart, clean and future-proof.’
Citizens are also noticing the difference indirectly. ‘New opportunities for construction are emerging,’ says Kats. ‘We are now hearing stories about companies or schools that can no longer connect due to grid congestion. These types of hubs literally create space on the grid again.’
The future: from the Netherlands to Europe
The partners' ambitions extend beyond national borders. ‘We want the Netherlands to set the tone,’ says Roggekamp. ‘Just as OCPP became the global standard, this blueprint can also become an international benchmark.’
Kats already sees parallels with Germany and other countries. ‘Companies everywhere are facing the same problems. If we show that it works, they can build on our experience instead of reinventing the wheel. That will greatly accelerate the energy transition.’
For the coming years, the focus will be on learning, improving and sharing. ‘We will have the first results in March,’ says Roggekamp. ‘After that, we will continue to test and expand. Everything we discover – technical, legal, organisational – will be included in the next version of the blueprint. In this way, CEH will grow into a platform for open innovation and standardisation.’
What you don't notice is precisely the success
What will the average Dutch person notice about all these innovations? ‘Actually, you should ask: what won't you notice?’ says Roggekamp. ‘If we do it right, the lights will stay on, trucks will run cleanly, and the Netherlands can continue to build. Only if we don't do this will you get problems such as blackouts, stagnant logistics, and a stalled transition.’
Kats sums it up: ‘If we don't develop Charging Energy Hubs, the energy transition will stall. But if we do it right, we will accelerate it with a model that is sustainable, scalable and economically smart. That's what we're doing it for.’
‘Only if we don't do this will you get problems such as blackouts, logistics coming to a standstill, and the transition grinding to a halt.’