Grid congestion in Brainport

Companies are becoming more sustainable and growing. Because the demand for power has exploded, the electricity grid is becoming overloaded. Smart solutions are needed to create space on the crowded grid.

Explosive demand for electricity

The climate goals of the Netherlands and Europe are changing the way we generate and consume energy. We are moving away from fossil fuels and towards sustainable, CO2-free energy. The increase in solar and wind energy, is moving the Netherlands from a demand-driven energy system to a supply-driven energy system. However, the supply of renewable energy is not stable. In addition, the demand for more power is growing as businesses and organizations go off gas. This has created an overloaded power grid.

These national challenges on supply and demand of (renewable) energy also affect the Brainport region. In order to become more sustainable and grow, acceleration and innovative solutions are needed.

Grid reinforcement and prioritization

In cooperation with the central government, work is being done to realize grid expansion in Brainport faster. We are also looking at giving priority to facilities and institutions with a high social importance and to companies and functions that demonstrably contribute to reducing the congestion problem.

Individual solutions for more power

Companies can work individually with solutions to meet their electricity demand. First of all, companies can save energy, thereby reducing their demand. In addition, the company can spread the demand for energy more throughout the day. This avoids peak loads and the company makes more efficient use of the existing contract space at Enexis. Companies can be compensated for reducing their existing contract in consultation with the grid operator.

Subsequently, companies can provide for their electricity by generating renewable energy on their own roofs and land. To avoid burdening the grid, storing the energy is a solution to be able to use the generated energy over a longer period of time.

Collective solutions for more space on the grid

By collaborating with businesses, organizations and government in the area, solutions can be taken up collectively. These are called energy hubs, or local energy hubs. In such a hub, sustainable generation, storage and mutual exchange of energy flows take place. These energy flows are intelligently controlled on the basis of supply and demand with an energy management system. This requires good cooperation (on the exchange, but also on the deployment of flexibility) between several stakeholders, such as the connected companies, the grid operator, park management and possibly the municipality.

Enexis pilot Kempisch Bedrijven Park

Several companies at the Kempisch Bedrijvenpark in Hapert have started developing a Local Energy Hub together with the Kempen municipalities, Enexis and Brainport Development. Current and future energy consumption is being examined in order to determine which knobs can be turned in order to provide as many existing and new companies on the site with electricity as possible. This involves looking at saving energy, adding more sustainable sources of energy, combining energy contract values of the various companies, energy storage and coordinating power demand to prevent peak loads. The Kempisch Bedrijven Park is one of three national pilots launched by Enexis. The goal of Enexis is to gain experience in distributing grid use in case of transmission shortages.