Peaks and troughs in sustainable energy generation in particular can be absorbed more easily through this application. The bio-digester's controllable capacity is comparable to that of hundreds of households.
With the growing supply of wind and solar energy, the influence of weather conditions on the energy supply is increasing rapidly. In addition, more and more conventional power stations, which provide stable electricity generation, are being phased out over time. By 2030, all coal-fired power stations in the Netherlands must be closed down. This creates a greater need for flexibility: controllable installations or industrial processes that can temporarily consume or produce more or less electricity.
Limited investment costs
A control box has been installed on the EcoFuels bio-digester, which has a combined heat and power (CHP) unit. This enables Scholt Energy to automatically adjust the digester at times when the national grid manager so requests. If there is a shortage of electricity on the grid, electricity generation is increased for a certain period as required, and if there is a surplus, generation is reduced, also temporarily. Provision and use of this flexibility are paid for by the national grid manager.
Investment and management costs are limited, making deployment in the emergency power market an interesting additional revenue source for EcoFuels. At the same time, a contribution is made to the more efficient use of sustainable energy and a reduction in CO₂ emissions in the Netherlands.
"EcoFuels has been supplying its sustainably generated power to Scholt Energy for many years. Our cooperative relationship is very constructive, both in terms of advice on the right time to sell the generated electricity and suggestions of interesting options for maximizing our revenues. This demonstrates an above average knowledge of the energy market."
Energy transition
Traditionally, at times of imminent shortage, extra electricity has been produced in polluting coal- and gas-fired power stations. This can be partially prevented by deploying controllable industrial processes, such as bio-digesters, on the capacity market. This limits the CO₂ emissions from conventional power stations.
Controllable installations also play an important role if an oversupply of sustainable electricity is imminent at times when a lot of wind and solar power is being generated. By reducing production at such times, an oversupply can be prevented, so that, for example, wind turbines do not need to be shut down. A better balance in the grid, in particular the smoothing of production peaks, also means that expensive grid upgrading can be (partly) avoided.
Demand and supply management can play a crucial role in the energy transition. In addition to sustainable production facilities, industrial processes can also play a role. Examples of processes where Scholt Energy temporarily adjusts the energy demand based on the market situation are a thermal salt bath and cooling and freezing installations. The video below explains how demand response works.
