In the West-Betuwe region, a network of parties is developing a sustainable, reliable and affordable regional energy system for flexibly managing (local) energy supply and demand. The long-term objective of this so-called Betuwse Energie Samenwerking (BES) is to make the region self-sufficient in green energy supply and consumption. The aim is to achieve this through commercial and private services combined with a yet to be developed regional management system optimizing generation, supply and consumption at various scale levels.
The aim of this study is to review the main differences between a future local area-optimized energy system and a conventional, non-optimized alternative, an important step in assessing the value of energy services optimizing generation, supply and consumption at various scale levels.
First of all we explored the potential benefits in the field of electricity generation, transmission and consumption. Next a scenario for 2030 was developed for the Rivierenland area based on projected trends in electricity demand and the contribution of heat and transport electrification in the region. Calculations on this scenario were also made with the CEGRID model, which also shows the effect of smart management and storage of peak grid loads and grid losses. Finally, an assessment was made of affordability and the environmental footprint.