E-HUB Luithagen

E-HUB Luithagen

This project assesses the feasibility of an Energy Service Provider (ESP) concept, in which one party is responsible for optimizing the energy consumption across the parties. We focus on the port area of ​​Luithagen, where Quares has already been appointed as park manager.

A Service Provider manages energy demand, supply and local generation and storage for the parties involved, thereby reducing energy costs with minimal CAPEX investment and maximization of renewable energy use by DSM and storage. In addition, the ESP is able to offer flexibility to the public network and can choose at any time to use the most sustainable source.

In particular, this service concept addresses the problem that energy-efficient and carbon-saving technologies such as heat generation, solar and / or wind energy are insufficiently implemented due to the short payback times commonly used by companies outside the energy sector.

For a commercial breakthrough, the role of an Energy Service Provider / aggregator must be defined within the legal context of the port area. The energy technologies to be assessed (in particular solar energy, storage, heat pumps and cogeneration) are fairly well known, but the optimal deployment from a central multi-energy production by a Service provider has not yet been applied in port areas.

The concept is simple and the potential gains in terms of environment and costs are great: Overproduction by one customer will be used to compensate for an energy shortage by the other or a waste energy flow will be valorised by the service company in a usable energy flow that can be delivered to a other customer. Transaction costs are low because the service provider executes the transaction and the industrial companies only purchase a service without the hassle of managing a production plant or 'playing' with supply and demand.

The concept of an energy service company can be copied to all industrial areas (business parks) if the land is conceded and the city retains ownership of the land and networks. Energy exchange is easier in that context.