Methodology

The shift towards relying on locally produced clean energy in combination with saving and diversifying energy, in line with REPowerEurope goals, can be achieved by:

1. A highly integrated design of multiple energy vectors (electricity, heat, cold, gas, H2, and mobility) and their respective generating sources, buffers, and consumers.

2. A design approach which considers the local characteristics of the energy system (geography and consumer behaviours and needs)

3. Flows and transactions operated by smart piloting of the hybrid energy platform in which the stochastic flexibility-availability of multi-energy vectors are cascaded by data-driven artificial intelligence.

alkmaar flagship-valley

A systemic innovation

REFORMERS’ Methodology is based on systemic innovation which relies on maturing of technical innovations along the following steps:

Ideation & conviction
Rally support for the innovative ideas to be implemented.

Exploration
Demonstrate feasibility and market uptake.

Exploitation & policy
Leveraging newfound insights to implement or adapt policies while supporting ongoing innovation

Project activities grouped by fields of engineering

Deep integration of multi-vectors in local energy systems

REFORMERS will demonstrate a multi-actor, multi-carrier and multi-solution LES in project Flagship around the city of Alkmaar that can serve as a replicable approach for developing REVs throughout Europe. All major energy carriers, namely electricity, heat and gas (biomethane and hydrogen) will be generated, transported, stored, converted, and utilized in the area. The solutions will been organized under different Renewable Energy Valley Tracks (REVT), which act as functional blocks to set up a valley.

Advanced digital design tools

The REFORMERS project will advance and demonstrate how extended application of digital tools can harness the existing RE developments or foster new initiatives in complex stakeholder structures including businesses, citizens, subcontractors, local authorities, to repower the region with 100% RE.

An Energy Valleys Toolbox will be developed by integrating advanced existing calculators for LES. Its scope is to help stakeholders involved in a REVs to define a set of feasible scenarios that meet the energy needs of all users, thus increasing effective decision making, acceptance and appropriation.

The Energy Valleys Toolbox is constituted out of four interfacing tools:

  • Tool #1 – Stakeholder engagement and social impact assessment
  • Tool #2 – Energy system designer
  • Tool #3 – Environmental impact assessment
  • Tool #4 – Business models, Governance and Policy & legal assessment
Intelligent operational management – Digital Twin

A Digital Twin is a digital representation of a physical product, system, or process. It can help to simulate real situations and their outcomes, allowing to make better decisions.

In REFORMERS, the digital twin is the backbone of the intelligent operational management of the FV. End-users will be able to interact with the FV Digital Twin via a service-oriented architecture.

 

The FV Digital Twin allows to:

  • run forecasts
  • evaluate grid management strategies
  • perform scenarios analyses

When fully operational, the Digital Twin will:

  • unlock the value potential for the aggregators and other tech-savvy energy companies who could operate the energy system cost-effectively and reliably.
  • unleash an added value stream to the REV by opening it up to wholesale markets.
  • enclose the possibility for replication and scalability of the intelligent operational management to different sites, enabled by the digital twin blueprint.