How energy trading between households through blockchain becomes reality in the Netherlands: Hoog Dalem 2.0


Enervalis is proud to announce that it has signed an agreement with Dutch DSO Stedin and ABB to kickstart a very novel blockchain pilot by end of the summer named Hoog Dalem 2.0. This new pilot builds further upon the pilot that had already started in 2014 in the Hoog Dalem neighbourhood in the Dutch village of Gorinchem.

More than 90% of the renewable energy is connected to the distribution grid, which gives rise to local congestion, voltage quality – and system imbalance issues when renewable energy penetration increases.

In order to optimize system costs linked to the energy transition, flexibility solutions therefore need to be implemented and managed at a local level.

Blockchain beyond the hype

In 2017, Stedin and Energy21 layed down their definition of a future energy system for local markets, resulting in the definition of the layered energy system.

Stedin and Energy21 first examined the problems linked to the energy transition and its respective solution architectures without focusing on blockchain as a solution to the problem on itself.

The layered energy system, courtesy of Stedin, 2017

This layered energy system distinguishes itself from other blockchain initiatives in the energy sector like Peer-to-Peer energy trading as it applies to a local geographically connected market from and electrical grid point of view. It therefore takes into account the physical electrical infrastructure that transports electrons from point A to B.

It is precisely because of this system approach that supply, grid capacity and flexibility can be taken into account resulting in the lowest possible system costs from an energy transition point of view.

Secondly, this novel concept responds perfectly to the definition of Local Energy Communities, as defined under the Renewable energy directive within the EU Clean Energy Package that will come into force in 2 years for every EU member state.

Stedin considers Hoog Dalem as an ideal testground to implement and validate this layered energy system as this is in an all-electric neighbourhood, meaning heating is supplied through heatpumps (no connection to the gas grid) combined with a high penetration of solar power and behind-the-meter storage units.

Enervalis will deliver the software operating system for this layered energy system and will interface it with the Tobalaba blockchain network developed by the Energy Web Foundation, which is founded by the US non-profit energy think thank Rocky Mountain Institute and the Austrian start-up Grid Singularity.

Stefan Lodewijckx, CEO of Enervalis:

“Complex new approaches like LES are right in the scope of Enervalis. This novel new market structure is yet another implementation possibility to support further local and green energy communities.

Having been selected to execute this cutting edge project shows the credibility Enervalis has gained in the market and supports our own vision and strategy we have has as from day 1.”

For more information, please contact:

Herman Wijckmans

Sales & Marketing Director

herman.wijckmans@enervalis.com

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