The TROEF consortium receives a €4.1 million grant to set up energy communities. Within these communities, sustainable energy is exchanged in a transparent and optimal way.
TROEF is a consortium consisting of a dozen Dutch companies and institutions: AM, BAM, Entrnce International, Hogeschool Utrecht, KPN, NEN, OrangeNXT, Stedin Netbeheer, Eindhoven University of Technology and Tymlez. Together, the parties aim to accelerate the energy transition in the Netherlands. The consortium was set up in October 2020 and will run for four years.
Reduce costs and increase returns
TROEF aims to reduce costs for building owners and increase returns on sustainable investments. To achieve this, available data and knowledge of buildings must be used smartly and effectively. Among other things, building owners must be enabled to buy energy themselves and exchange energy and CO2 rights with other buildings.
To this end, the consortium developed an energy ecosystem to make the exchange of energy between offices, homes, vehicles and areas more transparent and optimal. This ecosystem consists of so-called energy communities. The aim is to offer participants in these communities greater returns on energy companies. They should also gain more insight into the origin of renewable energy.
Internet of Energy
The process helps to reduce CO2 emissions to a minimum. To interconnect the islands, TROEF uses the possibilities of the Internet of Energy. According to the consortium, this development largely forms the route to the energy system of the future.
The Internet of Energy is often described as an implementation of Internet of Things (IoT) technology in distributed energy systems. Using automation and smart energy infrastructure components, the Internet of Energy helps curb energy waste and increase energy efficiency.
Objectives
TROEF has several concrete objectives:
- improving the efficiency of sustainable measures by thirty per cent
- reducing energy costs by twenty per cent
- reducing energy network investment needs by 30 per cent
- achieving demonstrably carbon-neutral built environments.
The Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO) recently awarded TROEF a MOOI grant of 4.1 million euros. MOOI stands for Mission-Driven Research, Development and Innovation. The grant is intended for the development of innovative developments that contribute to energy and climate objectives.
Dennis van Goch, TROEF programme manager: "The support from RVO is a confirmation of our ambition, vision and mission to make the Netherlands 'Paris proof'. Above all, we are proud to work with the parties that can make a difference. Active buildings and connected energy communities are the key to achieving a healthy and sustainable built environment."
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
