Anyone generating electricity with their own PV system could only go two ways with it until recently: preferably consume as much as possible themselves, and then inject any surplus back into the grid. However, energy sharing makes a third solution possible, which has a positive impact on energy bills.
Exchanging excess self-generated electricity with others is new. Since 01/01/2022, Fluvius enables energy sharing within one building. Thus, the generated energy can be shared among the different residents of an apartment building. The condition is that they all have the same energy supplier - which is not always obvious in practice - and that the installation has a maximum peak power of 40 kW. As of 01/01/2023, energy sharing within one building will be possible for customers with a different energy supplier.
From 01/07/2022 it will also be possible to share energy between buildings of the same grid user. Until the end of 2022, all sites must have the same energy supplier, but from 01/01/2023 this condition will disappear, as will the limitation to 40 kW peak.
This form of energy sharing can be of interest to individuals with a PV installation at the permanent residence and an outdoor residence without solar panels. But it can also benefit managers of several buildings, some of which have a PV installation and others do not.
From 01/07/2022, it will also be possible for the generator to share electricity with one customer, even if that customer is not in the same location. Until the end of 2022, both must have the same energy supplier, but from 01/01/2023 this condition will disappear, as will the limitation to 40 kW peak.
A third form of energy sharing is the energy communities that will become possible from 01/01/2023. Active consumers, public authorities and small and medium-sized enterprises can unite to share electricity or thermal energy among themselves, with the intervention of a legal entity. However, this form of energy sharing is currently unclear. The focus is expected to be on energy-positive districts. Thereby, systems integration can help to unite the building, architectural and environmental aspects and the various technologies through cocreation with the users and stakeholders in the districts and sites. Thus, climate goals can be achieved in a social way.
Rising energy prices are an additional incentive to engage in energy sharing. The bill consists of 3 main components: the energy component, excise and VAT, and transmission and distribution. Those who inject surplus self-generated electricity back into the public grid are only reimbursed (part of) the energy component. However, if the injected electricity is distributed and immediately consumed by own buildings at another location, one can reduce the current high cost of electricity across all locations.
The Provincial Development Company West Flanders has a branch of 't Werkpand at 18 locations in the province. Recently started entrepreneurs can rent an office and/or studio there at an advantageous rate. We investigated the potential of 2 forms of energy sharing: within 1 building and within 1 holder (= all buildings with electricity billing under the name 't Werkpand). The second form turned out to be the most interesting, with an extensive PV installation on the roof of one of the Ostend branches of 't Werkpand. Of the electricity generated there, residual energy can be distributed to the 17 other branches. How energy sharing can be applied was investigated as part of the Interreg2Seas project LECSEA. The project creates energy synergies between clusters of companies in order to increase investment in local renewable energy production and reduce CO2 emissions.
The city of Mechelen wants to make the new Keerdok parking lot - on the Eandistip near the N16 - the new hub for charging infrastructure for electric cars. In addition to selecting the parking operator, the city also went looking for an operator for the charging infrastructure and energy management in the building. After all, the intention is to share the electricity - some of which will be generated via a new PV installation - with the other users in the building, such as offices and a supermarket. We drew up specifications to guide the selection of that operator. However, this project is not only progressive because energy sharing will be used. The smart energy management system will ensure that the solar energy generated will be used to the maximum in the building. In the future, they also want to set up a pilot project with a vehicle-to-grid charging station, which will make it possible to óncharge the car in certain time periods and also share that electricity with other users.
For the City of Mechelen, we also made a feasibility study for the new urban district Ragheno, located behind the station. The central question was how the site could be heated and cooled in a CO2-neutral way, via geothermal energy, heat recovery from a nearby data center or the Dijle River, or via sewage heat. One aspect of the study was to further increase the share of renewable energy by maximizing the use of PV panels, and to make the generated energy available to the homes and offices on the site via energy shares.
Want to know more about energy sharing and how to approach it concretely? Contact Emmanuel Vierstraete at 050 40 45 30 or emmanuel.vierstraete@ingenium.be.
