Sweden is launching a pioneering solution for a decentralized energy supply that contributes to climate-neutral cities and communities. The solution, EnergyNet, was launched on April 26 in the Brunnshög neighborhood, as part of the CoAction Lund system demonstrator.
Energy is a key issue in the transition to climate-neutral cities, we need to reduce our use of fossil energy while creating flexible and robust solutions for energy distribution. One solution that can contribute to this is EnergyNet, a previously missing standard for energy sharing between buildings that is now being launched. EnergyNet can contribute to fixed low prices for green electricity, a significant increase in local energy production and a more secure and sustainable energy supply for all.
The first prototype is being realized in the Brunnshög area of Lund within the CoAction Lund system demonstrator, a Viable Cities initiative to accelerate the climate transition in cities.
- EnergyNet shows once again that Lund is a city with groundbreaking innovations, and through the climate collaboration CoAction Lund led by Lund Municipality, it will be possible to test it at Brunnshög, says Mats Helmfrid (M), Chairman of the Municipal Council.
In practical terms, EnergyNet is similar to the roll-out of the internet in the 1990s, requiring new wires between houses as well as software and hardware. It complements our nationwide, centralized electricity network with many small networks, where households and businesses can store and share self-produced electricity locally. A cooperation agreement has been signed with Sveriges Allmännytta, which brings together over 300 housing companies, and the first energy network will now be built together with Lund Municipality's real estate company (LKF).
- This is our first smart energy community with EnergyNet - a unique collaboration between LKF and LKP. We produce electricity locally and use it directly where it does the most good, when the house becomes an energy producer, both the climate and the tenant win, says LKF's CEO Fredrik Millertson.
Energy communities, where local actors join forces for joint decentralized energy production, have been gaining momentum around the world in recent years. EnergyNet is an energy stability system that can connect many decentralized energy systems, such as energy communities. After the prototype in Brunnshög, EnergyNet will spread throughout Sweden and to other countries.
Jonas Birgersson is the one who came up with the solution.
- This is not just an improvement, it is a paradigm shift. EnergyNet lays the foundation for a future where electricity is cheaper, greener and safer," said Jonas Birgersson, Chairman of ViaEuropa.
EnergyNet is based on new digital switches and the new open standard Energy Protocol (EP), which offers the same opportunities in the energy sector as we have for digital communication through Internet Protocol (IP). By using the same technology that is in the circuits of all electric vehicles and their chargers, the whole of Sweden can have a new digital network at low cost. The ambition now is for EnergyNet and the CoAction Lund system demonstrator to lead the way towards a more resilient, sustainable and digitized energy supply in many more cities.
Already on Monday, April 21, the new open standard Energy Protocol (EP) was launched, which creates completely new conditions for anyone who wants to develop digital control of the electricity system.
- "After years of work, it was great to sit at the Berkeley Faculty Club and push the button that donated Energy Protocol to the world, via a so-called "zero license", so now anyone who wants to can use and further develop the standard. "What felt extra good was that we in Sweden, who have benefited so much from the Internet Protocol (IP) developed in California, could now give something just as important back," says Jonas Birgersson, Chairman of the non-profit organization EnergyNet Task Force, which is behind the standard.
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The CoAction Lund system demonstrator brings together a number of actors from different sectors to work together for Climate Neutral Lund 2030. There is also a system demonstrator for Climate Neutral Stockholm 2030, STOLT. The initiatives are funded within the framework of Viable Cities by Vinnova and the Swedish Energy Agency.
Link to the Energy Protocol (EP)
Contact us:
- Markus Paulsson, Project Manager CoAction Lund
- Olle Dierks, Head of the System Demonstrator Initiative, Viable Cities
