TU Eindhoven secures €1 million to tackle campus grid congestion

By Laio

The Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) has obtained nearly €1 million in European and national funding to address network congestion on its campus. The GENIUS project aims to optimize energy usage, enhance connectivity, and create a sustainable innovation testing ground, potentially impacting thousands of industrial sites across the Netherlands.

The GENIUS project (Grid Efficiency Network Integration for Universal Sustainability) at TU/e is a collaborative initiative involving nine partners. This project aims to address the growing problem of network congestion on the campus. By optimizing energy usage and infrastructure, the project seeks to create a blueprint for efficiently managing energy demand, which can be applied to approximately 3,500 industrial sites across the Netherlands.

GENIUS project: a collaborative effort

Mark Cox, a senior program manager at the TU/e energy institute, and Gearte Noteboom, project manager at TU/e, are leading the initiative. Cox emphasizes the importance of mutual consideration in preventing instability in the electricity grid, a sentiment echoed by Noteboom, who highlights the project’s goal of showcasing innovative energy solutions in a real-world environment.

One of the key technological innovations in the GENIUS project is the use of a large battery, set to become operational in November 2024. This battery will be charged during periods of surplus energy from solar panels or the grid, helping to manage energy demand and avoid peaks. The campus’s closed distribution system (GDS) reduces dependence on the regional grid operator, Enexis, while allowing energy sharing with nearby users, including Connexxion and the hospital.

How a virtual grid can tackle grid congestion problems

In October 2020, no additional transport capacity was available for companies that wanted to connect to the grid at Schiphol Trade Park (STP). The business park, sitting next to the main Dutch airport, saw its expansion at risk due to grid congestion.

Benefits of the GENIUS project

The GENIUS project offers multiple benefits. It enhances the connectivity within the campus and its surrounding areas, optimizes energy usage, and creates a sustainable innovation testing ground. Additionally, it has the potential to impact thousands of industrial sites across the Netherlands, providing a blueprint for managing energy demand efficiently. The project’s innovative control platform uses historical data and predictive models to manage various energy sources and storage systems, further aiding in optimizing energy usage.