Papendal takes Eneco battery into operation with smart energy management
The Papendal Olympic Training Centre has taken a large battery into operation. Installed under a strategic partnership with energy company Eneco, the new battery offers smarter use of locally produced solar energy. It will also help to reduce electricity consumption peaks and respond to opportunities on the energy market. It represents a new step in Papendal’s efforts to make its site future-proof and more sustainable.
With a 315 kilowatt capacity and smart management by Eneco, the iwell battery will help Papendal to optimise its energy consumption. For example, it can store solar energy that is produced on-site so that it is available later. It can also be activated when the demand for electricity is high. Commonly known as peak shaving, this reduces the load on the electrical grid.
“The battery is an exciting step forward in our sustainability efforts,” explains Hotel and Sports Centre Papendal’s director Jochem Schellens. “More and more of our energy is self-produced. However, our electricity demand is also increasing. This means not only producing more sustainable energy, but more importantly finding the smartest possible ways to make use of that energy. It’s the same as with elite sports: we’re looking ahead and working towards our goal one step at a time. The new battery offers us the flexibility to achieve that.”
Smart energy management
Eneco will handle the smart energy management for the battery. This involves constantly monitoring Papendal’s production and consumption levels, and what is happening on the energy market. Depending on the situation, the battery can be charged using locally produced solar energy, or it can be activated to shave peaks in consumption, or if the timing is favourable it can provide financial gains on the energy and flexibility markets.
These applications are balanced in smart combinations to constantly find the use that offers the most value for Papendal at any given moment. By making the battery available for the energy market, Papendal will not pay any costs for leasing it during the first three years.
A single flexible energy system
The new battery is part of the broader energy management partnership that Papendal has with Eneco. The site already produces solar energy on a large scale, and 59 new EV charging stations were added earlier this year.
Energy production, storage, consumption and charging infrastructure are connected in increasingly smarter arrangements, to create a flexible energy system that makes more efficient use of the available grid capacity. It also offers possibilities for further improving the site’s sustainability.
“For us, it’s the overall system that offers the greatest advantages,” Schellens continues. “Batteries, solar panels and charging stations are wonderful solutions by themselves. However, the benefits multiply when you connect them in smart ways, and that’s how Eneco is helping us to develop an energy system that reflects Papendal’s ambitions.”