Context

Thermal grids are an important solution to decarbonize the heating and cooling demand of buildings with lower environmental and financial costs than traditional systems. Over time, DH networks have evolved from high temperature networks with a centralized production to a more connective and versatile network at lower temperatures. Next generation thermal grids will be based on the collaboration between prosumers (peer-to-peer energy production and consumption) in a multi-energy context. Considerable challenges need to be addressed for such a technological paradigm shift. Furthermore, the successful market roll-out of modern thermal grids requires an overarching design playbook that builds on the involvement of all stakeholders.

Partners

Priva has developed the digital twin-based technology Priva Energy Comfort Optimizer (ECO) as a commercially available cloud service that optimally manages energy and comfort in a building. The aim is to investigate whether this technology can also be applied and implemented at the level of energy grids between multiple buildings and other entities on a grid level and to incorporate peer to peer energy exchange within this grid. Priva ECO is delivered and maintained by partner parties (installers, ESCOs, energy consultants and design and consultancy firms). With the development of Priva ECO grids, Priva Belgium expects to grow its business and partner network in Flanders and beyond in close cooperation with Green Energy Park.

Fluvius, the DSO of Flanders, will adopt these state-of-the-art solutions for district heating and cooling for its shareholders; the 300 municipalities of Flanders. District heating and cooling are outside the regulated activities of Fluvius, so Fluvius is not a monopolist in this area. Therefore, Fluvius qualifies for participation in this subsidized project. For Fluvius, low temperature thermal grids are an expansion of its activities in district heating. The concept of multi-energy grids (thermal and electrical energy) increases the complexity and the possibilities for Fluvius. This requires additional knowledge, to which this project makes a major contribution. Fluvius is convinced that multi-energy grids, including low temperature thermal grids, are necessary for achieving the climate objectives and that a large number of projects for the construction of these grids will follow.

Green Energy Park will use the knowledge gained from this project for the further development of the “CO2 Neutral Smart Multi Energy Grid”, a large-scale living lab in the Zellik Research Park where companies and knowledge institutions have the opportunity to test and refine their innovations at a high TRL level. The knowledge and expertise center of the Green Energy Park will also make this knowledge available to investment projects within Flanders and within Europe. In addition, Green Energy Park will use its training center to further disseminate the knowledge. To this end, Green Energy Park will employ two to three extra persons at the start of the project. They will then be deployed for the further development of the living lab and the strengthening of the expertise and training center.

Blixt: In order for the energy transition to take place quickly and easily, major legal obstacles must be avoided. That is why the SERV, among others, advocates standard contracts and templates that can be used in as many situations as possible. Blixt wants to be involved as early as possible in drawing up those standard contracts and templates. By building up the knowledge in this respect, this gives a competitive advantage over other law firms. Even with standard contracts, there is a need for detailed arrangements specific to each individual project.

PowerPulse will use the gathered knowledge on thermal prosumer markets and their integration within a broader spectrum of multi-vector smart grids. Discovering new business models on bringing energy markets closer to end-users. Current business of PowerPulse is more B2B and supporting compan9 van 109 their day to day management of energy ranging from markets to technical optimization. But this will be broadened to communities with the built-up expertise. OPTIMESH is an important puzzle piece to increase our position within this ecosystem of local energy communities of the future.

GIM will research the AI-based modelling of the energy fingerprint of each individual building within the entire Benelux on the basis of Belmap, a Geo-Digital Twin, that will be extended with various properties that influence energy production and consumption. In addition, GIM will realize the visualization and consensus building platform that will greatly facilitate the replication of the OPTIMESH design methodology to other zones. These research and development activities will allow GIM to further position its Belmap platform in the renewable energy market as well as to allow upselling of products and services in the traditional insurance, finance, distribution, and utility sectors.

Haulogy has already invested a lot into its current products that support renewable energy communities (cf. The EU directive as described in the “Clean energy for all Europeans” EU document), but that is limited to electrical power and natural gas. Haulogy will use the results gained during the OPTIMESH project (from the research/development/proof phases), especially on incorporating consumptions/production of thermal energy next to electrical power, in their products that support renewable energy communities in such a way that these can be used in different, but similar, communities.

VUB, as academic partner, will research generic methods within a co-creation ecosystem that supports the roll-out of thermal prosumer grids in the Benelux. The ecosystem will be user-centric and help to guide authorities, companies, the prosumers and other stakeholders in the transition to a sustainable energy system. It will combine expertise and knowledge of different groups within the VUB in: multi- energy modelling, uncertainty quantification, advanced measurement techniques, AI-support algorithms for energy trading and impact analysis.

About the project

OPTIMESH addresses the needs of the thermal grid industry by (1) an innovative roll-out methodology for modern district heating and cooling networks encompassing scouting, design, monitoring and management methodologies that optimize stakeholder KPI’s of thermal grids in a multi energy context and (2) by novel technologies for the next generation of such networks (6th generation multi-energy grid), including multi-agent strategies from artificial intelligence (AI) for energy trade between prosumers, digital twins of buildings and their substations, tools and measurements to validate and verify the design and operation of a such grid. The valorization of the novel methodology and technologies developed in OPTIMESH will be supported with a several other case studies, including one in a living lab.

Challenges

The challenges for OPTIMESH are twofold. First, whereas the consortium has identified key technological opportunities to design, control, monitor and manage future thermal grids (referred to here as 6th generation DHC networks), there is considerable risk to demonstrate the resulting improved efficiency of those techniques with a high confidence. Second, the proposed roll-out strategy (as a co- creation design funnel) needs to research and develop methodologies to scout potential thermal grid sites with sufficient accuracy and to ensure stakeholder involvement through all main design steps.

Importance for a broad audience

OPTIMESH will deliver a roll-out methodology for modern thermal grids in the whole region of Flanders. For this reason, the entire value chain for thermal grid networks is represented in the project consortium. The adoption of the project results will be facilitated via the case study on the Green Energy Park in Zellik as a living lab proof of concept site evolving towards a “CO2 Neutral Smart Multi Energy Grid”. With this to be build large-scale living lab, Green Energy Park and the consortium members offer a broad national and international audience the opportunity to take note of the developed technologies and methodologies.