Since our first newsletter, the GIFT partners have continued their work for prosumers on the demonstration sites, which includes prosumer acquisition, local identification and feasibility studies. The image below illustrates the progress made.
This second newsletter will provide an overview of our prosumers on our demonstration sites: Procida island (Italy) and Hinnoya island cluster (Norway).
1. Video on Prosumership
To assist in their quest for prosumers on the demonstration sites, the GIFT partners have developed a short explanatory video outlining the benefits of becoming a prosumer. It is now available on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbZA9IqFMQk
2. Procida Island, Italy
   
On the Italian demonstration site, a first mapping of the island allowed the identification of several prosumers. Sixteen potential prosumers according were identified, based on their interest for the project (for the commercial activities) and their technical requirements.  The selected commercial and public buildings have the appropriate electric consumption profile, type of activity and to comply with the GIFT objectives. Meanwhile, the acquisition process for other potential customers for the FEMS prototype has continued. A public notice addressed to all the commercial activities of the island was published on the administrative channels of the municipality in accordance with the local regulation. On the other hand, a deeper analysis on the public infrastructures owned by the municipality was conducted. Some lifting stations have been the object of study by our team and the expert solution providers. These infrastructures could be very useful within the GIFT environment because of their electric consumption profile and especially their electric flexibility potential.
The study for the implementation of the EV charging energy management system was continued through the analysis of different plans for the sustainable island mobility and the testing of the availability of other private activities as well.  The potential involvement of the local public transportation within the GIFT environment has also been considered.
Regarding the Smart Energy Hub, it was decided that the city hall will not be the installation site due to unexpected issues with the local regulation. Therefore, some feasibility studies were conducted to find a new location able to satisfy all the requirements.  A sport centre interested by other public work has been selected as an installation site.
3. Hinnoya Island Cluster, Norway
   

Une image contenant carteDescription générée automatiquementOn the Hinnøya island cluster located in Nothern Norway, the  prosumer acquisition continued for FEMS, EV chargers, Harbour EMS and HBr battery.
When it comes to FEMS, a selection has been made following the assessment of the 11 prosumers in the first half of the year. The final selection of prosumers now includes: two schools, a kindergarten, the local DSO, and a wholesaler. The acquisition of prosumers such as farmers has been temporarily put on hold because of their low flexibility potential.
 
a. School 1 and 2
The first school can provide flexibility through a boiler that is used for heating the building. The boiler located in the school has a big consumption and could provide up to 1080 kWh of flexibility every day if it runs on full effect all day. This school is not much in use anymore, so it has a big potential to provide flexibility when it is needed.
The second school also has a boiler that provides heat to the school. Although it’s a boiler whit a large consumption, the potential flexibility it could provide is limited during daytime. All pupils on the island go to this school so the temperature cannot fluctuate too much during school hours. That being said, the boiler could be turned off for short amounts of time and could provide 56 kWh every hour at full effect.
 
b. Kindergarten
The kindergarten is a lot newer that the schools and have electrical heating cables in the floors. All the cables are controlled via a computer system. The heating is needed during work hours when the kindergarten is in use, but it could be turned off for short amounts of time. The potential flexibility provided by the heating cables is 216 kWh a day, depending on how long it can be turned off during the day.
c. DSO’s headquarters
The DSO has two boilers that provide hot water to the ventilation systems that heat the building. The boilers are running all day, even after workhours when the building is not used much. The consumption varies from 10 kWh up to 50 kWh depending on the season and outside temperature.
d. Wholesaler
The Wholesaler has two big freezers at their storage facilities that will be connected to FEMS. Within these freezers they store all frozen foods that they supply to their customers, so it is crucial that the temperature inside does not rise and spoil the goods. That being said, the freezers have quite a large consumption and a big potential for flexibility after workhours.
e. Implementation of the GIFT solutions
The public EV chargers were installed on the demonstration site in November 2021. The integration process is now ongoing. One home charger is still to be installed.  Once the installation and integration finished, the chargers will be operational.
The deployment of the battery has been postponed by 6 months due to delays on the production side. Also, the different locations assessed to pilot the battery on the demonstration site have not been conclusive as the DSO has not found a suitable positioning option within HLK’s concession that would enable a suitable use-case (considering the underestimated battery footprint). A GIFT HBr battery prototype has now been built in Arnhem, Netherlands and it is ready to be commissioned. After several months of tests, it is expected to be delivered to the demonstration site in the second half of 2022.
The HBr battery hoisted on Elestor’s pilot location
Last but not least, the e-ferry between Stornes on Hinnøya has been postponed by the Regional Authorities to 2023. However, the harbour-EMS solution has successfully been integrated with the other GIFT systems and the flexibility potential of an e-ferry could be assessed on a different route than the one between Stornes on Hinnøya.
Thank you for following our progress this year!

GIFT wishes you success in all your projects in 2022