The implementation, which is scheduled to begin in June 2017, is thought to be the largest project of its kind in Europe. The city aims to have 20,000 connections (smart homes, businesses, industry, renewable production, etc) within its city limits connected to the energy sharing system in the next three years.
The Siemens-OMNETRIC Group solution will balance electricity consumption and generation, helping to manage peaks in power usage and reduce congestion on the electricity grid. Increased control across the grid - as an example, Stedin, the DSO, will leverage demand response capabilities - will also allow for more renewable
energy resources, such as wind and solar, to be used to generate power.
The solution also comprises a virtual power plant which will enable Lyv Smart Living to act as an intermediary between the distributed energy resources on the system and the wholesale market. The solution will ultimately enable an efficient and self-sufficient local energy market.
Alderman Maarten Struijvenberg, at The City of Rotterdam said, “With our four partners we have a vision of a new energy reality for our city. The distributed energy management solution will be able to improve energy efficiency and better balance our energy demands and generation. Besides the emission reductions it brings, we see an opportunity to build economic and sustainable value for the district and to expand the model more broadly across the city and surrounding areas”.
Pim Spierenburg, Head of Smart Markets, EMEA at OMNETRIC Group said, “A smart grid provides regular updates on current electricity rates. Machines and appliances with embedded smart technology use that information to start working in times of abundant supply. In partnership with The City of Rotterdam, Stedin and Lyv Smart Living, Siemens and OMNETRIC Group will implement the Siemens Distributed Energy Management System to accurately control that. In parallel, the solution offers more attractive conditions for companies and private homes generating power themselves to deliver energy to the grid, enabling Lyv Smart Living to operate a local energy market. This solution is a prime example of how OMNETRIC Group is helping its customers implement new business models while facilitating the energy transition”.
Brendan de Graaf, director, Lyv Smart Living said, “Lyv Smart Living is an independent energy aggregator and a new player in the energy landscape. We are excited to work with OMNETRIC Group and Siemens on a solution that will enable the creation of new energy-related services for Rotterdam’s residents and local businesses, as well as for the regulated network operator, Stedin, with which we are closely collaborating”.