TU Eindhoven Secures €1 Million to Tackle Campus Energy Congestion
Eindhoven, Thursday, 29 August 2024.
TU Eindhoven has obtained nearly €1 million in European and national funding to address network congestion on its campus. The GENIUS project aims to optimize energy usage, enhance connectivity, and create a sustainable innovation testing ground, potentially impacting thousands of industrial sites across the Netherlands.
GENIUS Project: A Collaborative Effort
The GENIUS project (Grid Efficiency Network Integration for Universal Sustainability) at TU Eindhoven is a collaborative initiative involving nine partners. This project aims to address the growing problem of network congestion on the campus. By optimizing energy usage and infrastructure, the project seeks to create a blueprint for efficiently managing energy demand, which can be applied to approximately 3,500 industrial sites across the Netherlands.
Key Players and Their Roles
Mark Cox, a senior program manager at the TU/e energy institute, and Gearte Noteboom, project manager at TU/e, are leading the initiative. Cox emphasizes the importance of mutual consideration in preventing instability in the electricity grid, a sentiment echoed by Noteboom, who highlights the project’s goal of showcasing innovative energy solutions in a real-world environment.
Technological Innovations and Their Impact
One of the key technological innovations in the GENIUS project is the use of a large battery, set to become operational in November 2024. This battery will be charged during periods of surplus energy from solar panels or the grid, helping to manage energy demand and avoid peaks. The campus’s closed distribution system (GDS) reduces dependence on the regional grid operator, Enexis, while allowing energy sharing with nearby users, including Connexxion and the hospital.
Benefits of the GENIUS Project
The GENIUS project offers multiple benefits. It enhances the connectivity within the campus and its surrounding areas, optimizes energy usage, and creates a sustainable innovation testing ground. Additionally, it has the potential to impact thousands of industrial sites across the Netherlands, providing a blueprint for managing energy demand efficiently. The project’s innovative control platform uses historical data and predictive models to manage various energy sources and storage systems, further aiding in the optimization of energy usage.
Future Prospects and Events
The GENIUS project is part of a broader effort by TU Eindhoven to advance innovations in electronics, photonics, and AI. The campus will host various events in the coming months, including the Eindhoven Semiconductor Summer School, the EIRES Lunch Lecture, and the ENFIELD & EAISI event, all aimed at fostering collaboration and showcasing advancements in these fields.