Energy neutral Kerschoten

The challenge: "Put together a development plan to make Apeldoorn’s residential Kerschoten district energy neutral." A daunting challenge – precisely the sort of challenge that ArtEnergy is eager to tackle. In this case, drawing on its extensive expertise, ArtEnergy could take an active role in the development and – crucially – the successful implementation of the plan.

The plan consisted of three distinct elements:

• The pursuit of energy neutrality, tracing out a route to reach that objective
• The development of a solid business case
• An effort to actively encourage the engagement and participation of residents, users, and owners

Based on the characteristics of the existing Kerschoten neighborhood, ArtEnergy outlined and elaborated on a range of energy saving options and energy generation possibilities.

In close consultation with the project team, stakeholders and clients, ArtEnergy sketched out a number of potential routes comprising various mixes of energy conservation and energy production opportunities, including the associated costs and revenues.

ArtEnergy took responsibility for the formulation of several detailed energy-saving packages and energy generation options at both the neighborhood level and the individual building level, taking into consideration both technical factors and future scenarios. These considerations included such topics as anticipated technology developments, price developments, user behavior, owner concerns, investor concerns, and long-term financing.

Based on the scenarios and development paths that we drew up, the client proposed a preferred option in which the business cases and the participation were of crucial importance – that is to say, energy conservation and local energy production.

The final outcome: a successful Energy Neutral Kerschoten development plan.

www.kerschotenenergieneutraal.nl

KIC ESTORE project

The challenge: "Develop a software/hardware controller for cold storage facilities that will reduce the owner’s energy costs and better balance the demands placed on the power grid. The outcome: the successful conclusion of an international project leading to the introduction of a completely new product into the marketplace: the Electrical Energy Storage Device for Cold Stores – the Estore Controller.

The financial contribution that the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EU EIT) made available for this project was more in the form of an investment than a subsidy: the Estore would have to recoup the investment. For that reason, it was essential that we map out not just a technical development proposal, but a business model and a strategy for the market introduction as well.

Overseeing this project demanded more than just simple project management. It required technical knowledge of both software and hardware, and for the business cases, insights into market developments, quality management, and production. With its many years of experience in R&D, supervising professionals and managing programs, and its extensive network, ArtEnergy was uniquely qualified to successfully take on the challenge – and to deliver the desired outcome.

ArtEnergy ensured that a prototype of the Estore controller could be tested in a demonstration cold house. Getting to that stage required close cooperation among a range of players in academia, research institutes, the business world, and industry. At least six different parties were involved, leading, ultimately, to the successful development of the software and hardware with which the end product was produced.

With good, sophisticated, sustainable quality control, the result has been that the product could be turned over to the commercial party with full confidence. The business case is currently under development and a contract is being prepared that will lead to the market introduction of the product.

ArtEnergy played a decisive role in the product development process, the structuring of the business model, and drafting of the business case. With an unwavering focus on the objective, this KIC* InnoEnergy project was brought to a successful conclusion.

* KIC stands for “Knowledge Innovation Community”. As of the end of 2014, five KICs have been established in Europe. The goal of a KIC is to stimulate technology development, leading to commercial success for participating businesses.