Multi-energy Solutions

Market opportunities  –
Multi-energy Solutions at district level

Energy solutions at district level offer scale benefits and allow for a combination of multi-energy vectors like elektricity, heat, green gas and chemical molecules. Sustainable energy sources can be optimally integrated. This integration offers great exchange opportunities between different energy flows in terms of flexibility with energy storage and reduced energy demand.

Today, the market of district deployment and renewal is at the beginning of a spectacular phase of growth – in Europe and worldwide. A multi-energy approach at district level is a key element in most of the current energy strategy documents, like the EU covenant, the priorities around smart cities of the SET (Strategic Energy Technology) recent roadmaps of the European building sector

Existing strengths of Flanders –
Multi-energy Solutions at district level

Being an intensively urbanized area, with over 150 cities and communities who have signed the Covenant of Mayors, Flanders is an ideal take-off market for multi-energy solutions at district level. Pilot projects on sustainable district development in Flanders can be found at Thor-site (Genk), Nieuwe Dokken (Ghent), Tweewaters (Leuven), Nieuw-Zuid (Antwerpen), De Staak (Opwijk).

Important industrial players in heat pumps, district heating&cooling, and CHP combine an important base in Flanders with an international position. Flanders has one of the best equipped gas networks in Europe. Consultancy firms, aggregators, and research institutes have acquired expert knowledge through participation in large EU projects.

Focus of the innovator zone Multi-energy Solutions at district level

In the innovator zone ‘Multi-energy Solutions at district level’, the Flemish industry will focus on three goals:

• The enhanced interoperability of the energy components for local energy networks. 
• The initiation of a new type of ESCOs (energy service companies) able to offer a portfolio of energy services (comfort) instead of (energy) commodities (kWh). To have a unique selling proposition, the cluster aims to combine different services and innovative energy technologies.
• Specific energy hubs, e.g. based on geothermal energy or electrically powered heating and cooling systems are an opportunity to follow - they’ll become economically viable through risk reduction and new technologies.