Sander Wapperom

What do we do with our gas networks? In a week when the Dutch Senate voted to allow municipalities to phase out their gas networks, it's concerning to read that the UK still needs to address the issue of how to fund and retire its gas infrastructure. The UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) warns in their annual review of energy policy that an estimated £3 billion “and counting” of capital investments in gas pipelines is scheduled to be recovered from bill payers after 2050 – when there will be no customers left on the network. We also need to ensure that the energy transition delivers for all members of society, including the poorest and most vulnerable.

12

3 commentaren

NL: Tricky day in the Dutch balancing market today (12/6/2024). With wind generation relatively high, and extremely low spinning reserve in both upward and downward direction (from conventional plants), we see high balancing price volatility. Unfortunately we see some market participants over-reacting, ramping down wind assets when balancing prices go negative. The effect of this is an overshoot of 'voluntary' or 'passive' balancing actions, intended to take advantage of an interesting price incentive to help balance the system. As this overshoot flips the imbalance position of the grid from 'long' to 'short', the imbalance price algorithm then creates 2 imbalance prices, a very high one for short positions and a very low (negative) one for long positions. The reason the prices are so extreme, is the speed at which the balancing activations are needed to cope with the massive overshoot of non-TSO-controlled balancing. In this case anyone with an imbalance position, both the "causers" of the imbalance and the "helpers" trying to mitigate the imbalance are being punished, which is logical, because as too much volume is deployed, causing an imbalance in the other direction turns "helpers" into "causers" of imbalance. Even though we are only just now seeing some periods with massive spreads between surplus and shortage prices, you could have seen this coming. Our real-time calculations already showed the amount of 'passive' imbalance volume in the previous periods. As these positions are likely caused by an algorithm, we are likely to see large imbalance price spreads throughout the solar peak. We would urge parties to be cautious taking any imbalance positions (as helper to the system) in a market situation like this, as chances are, you may not achieve the intended revenues, in this high risk situation. It would be interesting to learn which market parties keep acting like this, as they must be losing large amounts of money due to this behavior, not to mention parties exposed to balancing risk, without the ability to do something about it. Also, in the long run, this may erode the willingness of market parties to help balance the system, which has worked so well for many years. In below screenshot, you can see in the chart on the left hand side, that the highest balancing price spread between short and long-prices has been over € 1500 (surplus price € -1000, shortage price € 572). #nlpower #dualpricing #balancingrisk #breakingthemarket

240

26 commentaren

W E Q U A N T U M V A P O R Into M E T A L L I C H Y D R O G E N There is a good chance that Dutch producers and buyers of green hydrogen will move abroad. Experts warn about this after a recent allocation of European hydrogen subsidies. All Dutch projects fell behind the net. The reason is that the production of green hydrogen in the Netherlands is twice as expensive as in some other European countries. “Without hydrogen, the Netherlands will further deindustrialize,” says Oscar Kraan, energy strategy manager at Deloitte. Companies that need hydrogen for the production of ammonia or sustainable aviation fuels will be able to get it cheaper abroad and may therefore relocate. According to Kraan, this also applies to Tata Steel, the steel producer that may switch to hydrogen. #quantumvapormining #quantumfusion #metallichydrogen #fuelforheavytransport #fuelfornextgenindustry

2

Here is a simple explanation of how electrification reduces energy use.

6

2 commentaren

🚀 'Build Your PoC with Iberdrola Wind Measurement for Turbine Assessment Challenge!' 🔥 A must-read for investors and founders looking to level up! 🌱 Check it out here: www.blog.pitchndeal.com" 🔥 Iberdrola Wind Measurement for Turbine Assessment Challenge is focused on identifying startups that offer innovative wind measurement technology to enhance the efficiency of turbine assessments across large wind farms. Iberdrola is inviting startups offering flexible, easily deployable devices designed to optimize turbine performance through precise data collection, including wind speed, wind direction, and more. As […] 🚀 🔥 https://lnkd.in/eCjqaAAX 🚀 Whether You're an Investor or a Startup, Discover Game-Changing Insights! Check Out Our Blog. #Leadership #Innovation #Marketing #Technology #Entrepreneurship

1

Shell’s launch of a dual-purpose megawatt charger in Amsterdam – capable of charging both electric trucks and shipping vessels – is a testament of ingenuity and collaboration. It will take a variety of infrastructure and location types to fully develop the European e-mobility ecosystem we are building for heavy-duty transport, and this is an example of the kind of bespoke innovation Shell can deliver to drive electrification of transport. The demonstration set-up, which is now available by appointment, features both MCS and CCS adaptors, so the charger can accommodate a wide range of trucks and battery types, allowing for fast, flexible, and need-specific charging. While the electrification of cars and vans is already well underway in many markets, medium- and heavy-duty road transport is a much harder sector to abate. That’s why a significant and coordinated effort is needed to phase out emissions from this important sector that is crucial to the global economy. Whilst the number of e-trucks and e-vessels that can handle powerful MCS charging are still rare, this demonstration is a positive step in setting the standard for high-power charging networks across Europe. This latest deployment follows the launch of Shell Recharge at publicly-accessible truck stops in the Netherlands – at Eindhoven and Pesse – and another in Hamburg with the next stop being in the UK this August.

94

To make #sustainability efforts counterproductive, start by encouraging consumers to install #solarpanels by offering incentives, then offset this by charging them for the electricity they feed back into the grid. Similarly, provide incentives and tax cuts for electric cars, but then impose taxes that make their operational costs more expensive than those of petrol cars. Think twice! Such strategies may lead consumers to distrust your incentives in the future. https://lnkd.in/gGvd-VcB #climatechange #energytransition

11

2 commentaren

interesting article over energy prices in the Netherlands. As of 2030 (only 6 years away), households that use gas for heating are expected to have higher bills (as compared to those who switched to electricity). This is because as less and less housholds use gas, the remaining ones have to carry on their back the costs of the gas grid. In comparison, as more and more poeple use the electric grid for heating (heat pumps), transportation (electric cars), the costs are divided by more users. In other words, there is a virtuous cycle for the electric grid and a vicious cycle for the gas grid. #energytransition #energiewende #grid #siemens #siemensenergy #siemensgamesa #sgre #heatpumps #evs

7

UNWASTING IRON POWER POTENTIAL:  Industry's Fast Track Option to #NetZero with 40% Subsidy for Boilers. This week the Iron Power ecosystem received a boost from the Dutch government with the news of the latest guidelines for energy efficiency subsidies - see details below. This is an important catalyst on several levels: -         Officially recognizes, validates Iron Power green energy technology -         Incentivizes industry adoption -         Signals investors of emerging market demand -         Further stimulates discussions between governments in EU and green energy exporting countries, which require a safe energy carrier for green energy including #Hydrogen. I am especially excited by the potential of this technology and this subsidy. It offers hard to abate thermal energy sectors a viable net-zero #CO2 option by retrofitting existing boiler instillations. This is a big economic win for industry: -         Better return on CAPEX prolonging the lifecycle of existing infrastructure -         Faster time to #NetZero compared to having rip and replace -         Mitigates #ESG risks; government, shareholder and customer pressures to comply. A big shout out to Metalot, Philip De Goey, Raoul Voeten and the broader team and ecosystem partners for helping to shape this policy change. Fundamental to the success of this option will be to secure a reliable and cost-effective supply of Iron Fuel.  And we are working on addressing this opportunity at scale. When you are interested to learn more, ping me. #GreenEnergy #IronEnergy #IronFuel #H2 Niels Deen EIRES – Eindhoven Institute for Renewable Energy Systems #EnergyTransition #ZeroCarbon #MetalFuels #ERCGrant #SustainableEnergy #CombustionResearch https://lnkd.in/efXWG_8X

16

3 commentaren

Hydrogen and Batteries for Off-Grid Homes 🏡. Researchers at Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen in the Netherlands have developed a groundbreaking system that combines #hydrogen production with #battery storage to optimize the use of solar and wind energy in off-grid households. This innovative system tackles the challenge of efficient storage and management of surplus renewable energy. ▫ Key Aspects of the Study: ➡ Hybrid System: Utilizes hydrogen as the primary storage method and batteries as backup, maximizing the use of available renewable energy. ➡ PEM Electrolysis: Based on PEM electrolysis, the system offers rapid response and can be adapted to reduce costs. ▫ Configuration and Costs: 🔆 Solar Panels: 2.65 kW at a cost of €1,317 ($1,430)/kW. 〰 PEM Electrolyzer: €9,677. 〰 PEM Fuel Cell: €7,500. 💠 Hydrogen Tank: €1,915. 🔋 2.93 kW Battery: €372.5/kWh. ▫ Results and Recommendations: 🔃 System Optimization: Simulation showed that the system cannot operate at its maximum nominal power, suggesting that downsizing the electrolyzer could be a cost-effective option. 🔄 Benefits of Combining Sources: Using a mix of solar and wind energy provided the best results, with the energy required for the purification unit considered minimal. This advancement not only offers an effective solution for energy storage in off-grid scenarios but also opens new possibilities for integrating clean technologies into daily life. A significant step towards a greener and more efficient future! #alternativeenergy #innovation

20

1 commentaar

Interesting to understand the expected trend of Tennet's grid fees in the Netherlands and to see this great overview of the underlying drivers that my Aurora Energy Research colleagues have developed. Good to see that the Dutch government, together with the ACM and the Dutch grid operators, is raising the harmonisation of these grid fees on the EU level, to create a more equal playing field within Europe - see the link below. https://lnkd.in/eAyyF-Q4

8

The Transparency Platform from ENTSO-E is an invaluable source of energy data needed to analyse and understand the ongoing energy transition. The Netherlands is the biggest solar market in the world (or the second) and their hourly electricity demand illustrate perfectly the impact of solar panels when installed behind-the-meter. Unfortunately, the Transparency Platform is not a research tool and the data behind it is refreshed every day and the changes are not documented. From April 2023 the Dutch operator change the source of electricity demand and the data is not consistent any more, it is more complete - they say (I contacted them for a clarification) - but now it is not possible any more to compare the data after April 2023 with previous data. That's it. It is hard to observe the energy transition without data.

26

8 commentaren

Development Dutch electricity market in 4Q24 Contribution renewable energy was down 16% YoY in 4Q24 due to low wind speeds in October and November. Particularly onshore wind was lower by 28% according to figures from Ember. Renewables accounted for 40% of electricity generation (was 49.6% in 4Q23). Fortunately, in 2024 as a whole renewable energy rose by 8% (offshore wind +31% YoY), pushing up renewables as percentage of total generation to 46% (was 42.2% in 2023). If you want more information, please send email to [email protected]

12

NL: Impact of Picasso on Dutch Balancing Market: After 12 days of Picasso in NL, any analysis of the impacts is still inconclusive as the market has seen some specific circumstances. But I've got some initial results to share anyway. If you consider the period after go live, it is comparable to January and February of this year. However if you compare early October to late October the differences are quite large. Left out of the analysis are the 1% most extreme balancing activations, which have not really changed (they happen when there is no cross border capacity). Mid-merit order balancing looks like it has become more moderate, Activated volumes have not significantly changed (but I have a feeling that is not the whole story), the biggest impact seems to be on dual pricing. There are not fewer periods with dual pricing (even a slight increase), but the impact is lower because the difference between upward and downward prices has dropped dramatically. #picasso #nlpower #balancing #aFRR

165

15 commentaren

Reducing grid congestion by flexible demand response? It's not that simple. For the Utrecht region, DSO Stedin and TSO TenneT were looking for 250 MW of flexible demand. They talked to 2,712(!) large customers, which resulted in a total potential of just 77 MW, out of which they expect to contract 20 MW. Every contract will take an average of 6 to 14 meetings with the customer. Conclusion by Stedin: We'll have to consider obligatory participation. https://lnkd.in/eaUesBn6 #grids #congestion #demandresponse #electrification #flexibility

53

29 commentaren

More unorthodox approaches needed to battle grid congestion? In a recent letter to Parliament (April 25), the Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs proposes measures for "Acceleration and expansion of grid congestion measures" in three Dutch provinces. The ten proposed measures all make sense. However, as the Minister concludes himself: "Grid congestion is occurring to a greater or lesser extent in virtually the entire country, or will do so in the foreseeable future." In that light it is remarkable that more unorthodox measures are still not the list of proposals. I would particularly plea for: 1. a re-distribution of existing transport rights; 2. and end to free transport rights for producers. These rights made perfect sense when markets were liberalized. At that time we needed to protect newcomers against incumbents. But these rights are in my view not effective in markets with high percentages of wind and solar. The value of scarce transportation capacity is simply too variable and too high. The network operators tell us that utilization of network capacity is on average 30%. Increasing that number is a relatively cheap and quick solution. Maybe the electricity industry should look at the gas industry. In the gas industry the HP pipelines are kept running by storage at the production and at the consumption end of the pipe.

7

5 commentaren

Great news! Another Dutch solar energy entrepreneur is making waves in Spain (... this shows the global impact of Dutch innovation!!): Today La Vanguardia featured Wouter Draijer⚡ and SolarMente, a fellow Dutch innovator revolutionizing solar energy in Spain. Here's why this matters: 🌞Affordable solar for all: PV solar installations accessible with a monthly subscription. No huge upfront costs! 🌞Residential & Industrial impact: From homes to factories --> Dutch solar innovations are transforming energy consumption across sectors. 🌞Subscription model innovation: By treating solar as a service, not just a product, they arere breaking down adoption barriers. 🌞Global expansion: Dutch solar expertise is spreading worldwide. I find it inspiring to see fellow Dutch entrepreneurs driving the renewable energy transition abroad. Their approach aligns perfectly with Suncom Energy's mission to make industrial solar heat accessible and affordable to industry. Suncom Energy is serving industry with solar solutions to replace fossil fuels for the industrial heating processes, while Solarmente is delivering PV - renewable electricity to households and commercial clients. Love that that Dutch solar innovations are making a real difference globally.... Want to learn how industrial solar heat can benefit your business? Let's chat! #energytransition #solarheat #renewables #solar #solarenergy Congratulations, Wouter, on the well-deserved recognition. Together, we're building a cleaner, more sustainable future! 🌞💪

71

4 commentaren