On April 2, we had the final discussion for the Congestion Management and Power Balancing project with Marloes van den Berg – Janssen, Arno van Zwam, Bouke Siebenga, Bert Strijker, Ruud van Raak, Wouter Roobol, Patrick Van Echtelt, and Harald Kor. We believe this project offers promising solutions for challenges related to congestion management and power balancing. The CPB project has provided valuable insights, knowledge, and awareness about these topics in the Lage Weide business park, thanks in part to the efforts of project leader ECUB, which expanded the ecosystem in this field through various presentations and outreach efforts.
The collaboration with partners like ECUB, Stamhuis, Warmtebouw, Friday Energy, and REConvert has also led to a deeper understanding of energy management, the optimal sizing of energy storage systems, and the generation potential for companies. This knowledge is tied to the use and development of inverters, including REConvert’s four-quadrant inverters. These inverters, developed down to the electronic component level, have been validated through a Proof-of-Concept and are now ready for production. In addition, Friday Energy’s battery systems were deployed, combined with generation methods such as SolarOnTop via IMEfficiency and existing solar panels.
To share these insights with clients and business parks, an IoT platform was also developed. This platform enables energy to be charged and discharged at the most cost-effective moments and facilitates communication between systems. Algorithms, including AI-driven ones, are constantly used to determine the system’s optimal deployment. An initial system with inverters and batteries was installed at a test site. Ultimately, this project resulted in the installation of a 1260 kWh battery system with corresponding inverters at Stamhuis.
During the project, challenges such as insurance, grid connections, coordination with the grid operator, local congestion, and legal boundaries were also addressed. Additionally, Utrecht University conducted extensive research into a digital twin, where cloud cameras (at Stamhuis and Warmtebouw) were used to predict short-term energy supply. This provided input for the battery to select the best energy management strategy.
This comprehensive and detailed approach achieved a high level of both technical and strategic planning and aligns with the project’s goals of promoting the integration of renewable energy and efficient energy management. Finally, the knowledge gained, in collaboration with ECUB, Utrecht University, and Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, influenced the development of an educational program for higher education students focused on grid congestion, power balancing, and congestion management.
