EIRES: Report EnergyDays 2024 Net congestion: clogged grid, what's next?

Organized by
Eindhoven Institute for Renewable Energy Systems (EIRES) of TU/e

Net congestion: clogged grid, what's next?

In large parts of the Netherlands, the electricity grid is congested.

The infrastructure is sometimes old, the net not flexible enough, and the large-scale electrification keeps on increasing pressure.

This is a serious problem for companies, households and the energy transition as a whole.
What needs to be done to solve this problem?

What is the role of politicians, network operators, and what can researchers do to help address the net congestion?

In this edition of EnergyDays different perspectives will be discussed.

Program

13h30 - 14h00 Walk-in with coffee and tea

14h00 - 14h10Christina Papadimitriou | EIRES & Eindhoven University of Technology Welcome & introduction

14h10 - 14h50Koen Kok | Eindhoven University of Technology The Electricity System: Will network capacity scarcity be part of the new normal?

14h50 - 15h30 Break

15h30 - 16h10Bram Cappers | Tibo Energy Tackling net congestion with data-driven energy orchestration

16h10 - 16h50 Han Slootweg | Enexis & Eindhoven University of Technology Congestion in the Dutch electricity grids – causes and mitigating measures

16h50 - 17h00 Closing reflection & wrap up

17h00 - 18h00 Drinks

Event and detailed program

Speakers

KOEN KOK | Professor Intelligent Energy Systems Eindhoven University of Technology

Title The Electricity System: Will network capacity scarcity be part of the new normal?

Abstract:
Capacity shortages in the Dutch electricity grid are almost constantly in the national news nowadays. The situation is triggering a hugely increased effort to reinforce the grid: network investments are up by an order of magnitude. Further, it triggers innovation, companies unite to share network connection capacities through energy hub concepts and local marketplaces, while network operators develop new contract forms and tariff mechanisms.

For the longer term a few questions remain unanswered:

• Will network capacity shortages become a thing of the past after the network investment wave currently unfolding?
• Will the current speedy innovation wave yield future-proof mechanisms to deal with congestion?
• Will the current measures be fast enough, or do we need to save energy in a hurry soon to keep the lights on?

In his talk, professor Koen Kok will try to provide answers to these questions.

Bio:

Koen Kok is Professor Intelligent Energy Systems at the Electrical Engineering Department of the Eindhoven University of Technology. He has extensive research experience applying intelligent and distributed software technologies in energy systems. He was among the European smart grid pioneers, with involvement in early developments and field deployments. Currently, he is scientific director of the MegaMind research program on technical, legal and ethical aspects of Artificial Intelligence applied in the electricity system’s edge. Further, he leads numerous research projects in the field. Application of intelligent software in the operation of (local) electricity systems and in market trade, against the background of the unfolding energy transition, is a key focus of Kok and his team. Key results have been field deployed, commercialized and/or made available in open-source.

BRAM CAPPERS | Co-Founder of Tibo Energy

Title Tackling netcongestion with data-driven energy orchestration  

Abstract:
Netcongestion has become a serious problem in the region. During the day, solar panels are tuned off to avoid the overload of the physical grid while in the evening fossil-fuel stations are used to compensate for any shortages. Companies are leaving our country, because they can no longer grow while thousands of them are waiting for additional capacity from the net. But are there other solutions besides expanding our grid?

In this presentation we show how we can use computer- and data science to better orchestrate energy in power networks enabling energy sharing and collaboration between companies through Energy Hubs.

Bio:

Bram Cappers is a teacher Visual Analytics in the Mathematics and Computer Science faculty of the TU/e. After finishing his master (with honors) he finished his PhD at the TU/e in the field of data visualization and anomaly detection on large data streams.
Bram has won numerous prices in the field of real-time computer science, entrepreneurship and data-science. With this knowledge he founded 2 companies CodeNext21 and Tibo Energy to make his new technology available for Industry.

HAN SLOOTWEG | Director of Asset Management, Enexis & professor in Smart Grids, TU/e

Title: Congestion in the Dutch electricity grids – causes and mitigating measures

Abstract:
The demand for capacity of the electricity grid is surging. The Dutch network operators can not keep up and extend and reinforce the grid quickly enough. This leads to a shortage of network capacity and to network congestion, both for demand and generation. Requests for new grid connections and upgrades of existing grid connections can not be met and parties are referred to growing waiting lists with parties in need of grid capacity. The presentation will address the underlying causes of the growing grid congestion, as well as various approaches to deal with it.

Bio:

Han Slootweg is part-time professor in Smart Grids with the research group Electrical Energy Systems at the TU/e department of Electrical Engineering. His main affiliation is with distribution network operator Enexis, where he is Director of Asset Management. In both roles he is involved in innovation and sustainability of the energy system, with special attention to the function of gas and electricity networks in the sustainable energy system of the future. Han sees the energy transition, the sustainability of our energy supply as the most important topic for the energy industry and his mission is to contribute to the transition towards a more sustainable energy system.

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