To view this page ensure that Adobe Flash Player version 11.1.0 or greater is installed.

INTERNET OF THINGS PowerMatching City From the world’s first live total-concept smart grid to a real life smart energy services demonstration By Albert van den Noort, Project manager PowerMatching City – DNV KEMA Smart Energy and the energy transition The energy landscape is changing worldwide. The policy of many governments and organisations over the years has become increasingly focused on creating a more sustainable energy system. End users too are making increased efforts to produce sustainable energy at the lowest possible cost. Within ten to twenty years this will lead to a major change in the fuel mix and substantially contribute to decentralised power generation of the energy supply. Consequently, the role of the end user will change to that of an essential player. Smart grids will play a key role in the energy supply of the future. Technological innovations and new services must keep our future energy Optimization goals in PowerMatching City system affordable and reliable, and must facilitate the transition to sustainable energy. The essential components of these smart grids will be decentralised power as to consume it: he or she becomes a ‘prosumer’. For the prosumer generation, its storage and integration into the regular power grid, it is important that he does not only use his own produced energy, interaction with the end user and two-way traffic between energy but that he is also able to sell it to others. When electricity rates vary users and among suppliers themselves. Indeed, a more fitting name at time of use, the prosumer has the possibility to sell and buy at the for a new system like this is ‘smart energy’. most economically optimal moments. For that he needs flexibility. In PowerMatching City flexibility is provided via the smart heating Demonstration systems, the washing machines and charging of electric vehicles. A fully-fledged demonstration of a smart energy system is essential to convince various stakeholders of the added value. An example of The grid operator has a primary task to keep the energy grid stable, such a real-life demonstration environment is PowerMatching City reliable and affordable. He faces an increase in the use of electricity, in Hoogkerk, near Groningen, The Netherlands. eg by the introduction of electric vehicles, heat pumps and distributed PV systems. These technologies, when not controlled PowerMatching City started as one of the three field trials in the properly, can cause peaks on the electricity grid that will accelerate INTEGRAL programme, an EU funded FP6 project (2007-2011). The the aging of transformers and cables and influence the reliability INTEGRAL programme aimed to develop an integrated solution and stability of the grid. Therefore, the grid operator wants to lower for the introduction of renewable energy sources and distributed the peak demand, to prevent unnecessary investments in extra generation, in three different states of the grid: near blackout, in capacity. Flexibility in energy demand can be used as an alternative island mode and at normal operation. The field trial for the normal strategy to these investments. The introduction of the smart meter operation regime developed into PowerMatching City. is a first step towards automatic peak load reduction. With the smart meter, more and more IT is introduced in the grid. The field trial is the first demonstration in the world that shows a live total-concept smart grid. The smart grid consists of 25 The changing role of the end users has direct influence on the households with smart heating systems and appliances, smart utilities. With smart devices in the households the end users charged electric vehicles and a wind turbine. An ICT system have flexibility. The coordination of decentralised generation and allows matching of supply and demand of electricity between the demand response allows the utilities to cluster it into a virtual devices in the smart grid. Unique to the concept is that different power plant. If the utility can utilize the flexibility of the end users’ stakeholders of the system benefit simultaneously. The various load and generation, it can use this to optimise its portfolio and actors in the smart grid face different challenges and opportunities. trading on the (national) energy markets. End users benefit from Here we distinguish between end users, grid operators and utilities. the optimization via new energy services. Examples are continuous fluctuating pricing contracts, where devices automatically switch Roles in a smart grid on or off on the appropriate times and make optimal use of the The end user role shifts from the end point of the value chain price fluctuations. Groups of end users can be served in their needs towards a more central position. With investments in photovoltaic to optimise the energy in their community. It offers the utility the systems (PV) or cogeneration units (micro combined heat and possibility to shift from a commodity supplier towards an energy power; microCHP), the end user starts to produce electricity as well service provider. 32 METERING INTERNATIONAL ISSUE - 4 | 2013