EnergieRijk Den Haag and Eneco are bringing approach to greening of real estate to Utrecht
Focus on electrical flex capacity as well as heating and cooling in extended agreement
EnergieRijk Den Haag (ERDH) and Eneco are extending their successful heat agreement originally signed in 2023, by three years. The original agreement was aimed at making the heating of government real estate more sustainable. For the extension ERDH and Eneco are broadening their cooperation from heat and cooling alone to also include electrical flexible capacity, such as battery storage. In addition, both parties are expanding their activities to Utrecht.
Energy agreement signed at the Built Environment Climate Summit
The ceremonial signing of the agreement extension took place this Wednesday during the Built Environment Climate Summit (Klimaattop Gebouwde Omgeving) at the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht. Director-General Yvonne van der Brugge-Wolring of the Rijksvastgoedbedrijf (Central Government Real Estate Agency) signed on behalf of ERDH. She was joined by Eneco’s Director Heating & Cooling Ron Wit and Head of Flex B2B Peter Molenaar.
It can be done
Over the past three years, various projects have been carried out under the original agreement, of which the trials with lowering the temperature and the development of the Parnassusplein energy hub stand out most. We were for instance able to lower the temperature at Paleis Noordeinde a bit, and the greening of two large government office buildings at the Parnassusplein could still go ahead despite grid congestion.
Scaling up to Utrecht
Eneco and EnergieRijk Den Haag are also scaling up their cooperation to Utrecht. They are exploring how to make better use of aquifer thermal energy storage systems (ATES), create energy hubs, make better use of district heating and develop approaches to reduce grid congestion, such as reducing peak demand (heat and electricity). The latter is particularly important in Utrecht, where congestion is an acute problem.
Nomination for CBRE Sustainability Award
In the Parnassusplein Energy Hub project, which has been nominated for a CBRE Sustainability Award 2026, two buildings share a power connection via a group transport agreement (GTO), creating enough room to heat and cool the buildings with a heat pump and the use of ATES. EnergieRijk Den Haag and Eneco are cooperating with Stedin for this cross-building approach, which is bringing the greening of the heating of 95,000 m2 of gross floor area within reach despite grid congestion, as well as avoiding 124 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, and freeing up capacity for new connections to the district heating network.