Local energy hubs in West Brabant prevent grid congestion

The municipalities of Etten-Leur, Zundert, Roosendaal and Altena will work on local energy hubs together with ZLTO and Regional Energy Strategy (RES) West Brabant. Exchanging locally produced green energy should relieve the burden on the electricity grid.

Last week the kick-off of the Interreg project ‘Circus’ under which the collaboration was established took place in Breda. ‘The countryside offers opportunities to accelerate the energy transition. Farmers and gardeners can make an important contribution to this,” says ZLTO director Remco Beekers.

‘That is why it is good that ZLTO and RES West-Brabant are working with these four municipalities. I am convinced that we will take great steps to reduce grid congestion in the region,” Beekers emphasizes.

Manure fermentation

Local energy hubs are already active in the four municipalities. Think of solar panels on roofs, wind turbines, cogeneration in horticulture, utilizing residual heat, producing green gas from manure fermentation and energy batteries in which energy is temporarily stored.

In Roosendaal, 35 companies produce sustainable energy in a cooperative context, which they also exchange locally. In the coming years, the cooperative wants to take steps in the automated management of systems and processes. This increases the simultaneous production and consumption of green energy.

Chances

According to councilor Klaar Koenraad (GroenLinks), this offers great opportunities. ‘As the municipality of Roosendaal, we would like to be part of the ‘Circus’ project to stimulate and support the acceleration of the energy transition. The Energy Trading Platform Roosendaal is already a success. That can only get bigger and better,” she says.

‘By working together with ZLTO and the other municipalities, we can scale up these types of sustainable initiatives and share practical experiences with each other. This way we can learn from each other and we don’t have to reinvent the wheel each on our own,” says Koenraad.

Other municipalities

Energy hubs are already active in Zundert, Etten-Leur and Altena, ranging from wind energy to the production of green gas through manure fermentation and from agricultural PV to cogeneration in horticulture.

The ‘Circus’ project is made financially possible by a European Interreg subsidy of 242,000 euros. ‘In addition, the West Brabant Region and the North Brabant Agricultural Innovation Steering Group are making a contribution,’ says project leader Luuk van Wezel of ZLTO.

‘It is great to see that all four municipalities support this project and have confidence in ZLTO and local departments. The energy hubs certainly do not stop at the municipal borders. Other parties are also welcome,” says Van Wezel.