Essent innovates!
Essent innovates!
Colophon This catalogue is an Essent New Energy publication Editors: Michiel Prins, Godfried van der Heijden (Het Fabulaat), Castel Communicatie (interviews) Final editing: Erik van Engelen Design: Wim de Vries & Susanna Kuiper (Castel Communicatie) Printing: OBT, The Hague September 2011
Contents Trendsetter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5
Essent and Innovation: gathering knowledge, making choices and developing projects
6
BioBased Economy the art of making optimum use of biomass . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9
Biomass: a CO2-neutral fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10
Interview: Nina Skorupska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
14
Torrefaction and Pyrolysis: carbonised biomass and oil extracted from plants
...
16
.............
19
Energy management: optimum utilisation of energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
20
Interview: Norbert Vroege . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
26
Sustainable mobility carbon neutral driving is the future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
29
Electric vehicles: fewer particulates and less CO2 emission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
30
Interview: Hans Streng . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
32
Green gas: cleaner, quieter and more economical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
34
Energy production making the supply of energy more sustainable & efficient . . . .
39
GasiďŹ cation: pre-treatment for greater efficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
40
Geothermal energy: clean heat from the earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
42
Carbon Capture and Storage: storing CO2 instead of emitting it
............
46
Cooperation with partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
49
Innovation: 'multiple heads are better than one' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
50
Funds: investing in the future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
52
Energy management from passive customer to equal partner
“Together we have the strength to be trendsetter in a sustainable future.�
Trendsetter Peter Terium CEO of Essent
The global demand for energy will continue to grow. We cannot meet this growing demand by only continuing to build new power stations that use fossil fuels. The energy sector is expected to develop new solutions and technologies, which will enable the supply of sufficient affordable and sustainable energy into the future.
The ongoing quest
Combined innovation power
Essent plays a special role in this process. As the largest
Essent is part of RWE, one of the largest energy companies
energy company in the Netherlands, we are one of the
in Europe. RWE invests in pilot projects in many areas, in
trendsetters in the area of innovation. We are engaged in
order to develop the new technologies that are needed to
the ongoing quest for innovative solutions to the energy
bring about its vision of the future. It goes without saying
problems of today and tomorrow. In the process, we work in
that Essent benefits from this knowledge and commitment
close collaboration with knowledge and research institutes.
of resources in the same way that RWE benefits from
Everybody knows us from Green Energy, Green Gas, electric
Essent’s innovative strength. Due to this combination of
transportation and from the High-efficiency boiler, which
innovation power, we will be able to make future energy
produces electricity as well as heating the home. These are
supply more sustainable and keep it affordable.
proven successes, not lucky breaks. Our innovation projects are selected with care. The basic principles are always the
You will be able read and see what Essent is doing in the
same: it must be reliable, affordable and clean.
area of innovation in this Innovation Catalogue.
Centralised and decentralised Essent’s innovations are directed at the various parts of the energy value chain. This includes both the sustainability of centrally generated energy, as well as decentralised production and energy efficiency on the part on the end-users. We also put increasing emphasis on the link between ‘centralised’ and ‘decentralised’. For example, the development of intelligent products and services for homes and other buildings. As a result, businesses and consumers will be able control their energy consumption themselves, and thus their energy bill. This presents opportunities for saving energy and to make optimum use of sustainable energy sources.
5
Essent and Innovation: gathering knowledge, making choices and developing projects The ongoing quest for innovative and sustainable energy applications has yielded many results during the last few years. It has also taught us that enormous amount of work still needs to be done. Essent will therefore continue to invest in innovation in the future: from fuel to generation, processing and energy storage, and from supply to mobility. As far as mobility is concerned, Essent has caused a massive acceleration last years, by investing in electric modes of transport. However, a number of research activities have also disappeared during the last few years. This is connected to, among other things, the divestment of Enexis, the former ‘Essent Netwerk’. In addition, the priority of pursuing certain innovations has shifted, since we are focussing on the technologies with the greatest potential. We regard decentralised production, for example, as becoming more and more important.
Horizon Scan
Opportunity Selection
Project Activation
Opportunity Management
DEVELOPMENT
Innovation Management
6
Making it happen Essent is not so much required to invent the wheel itself, but wants to make a contribution to the ‘enabling’ of innovations in particular. Together with the various R&D departments of the parent company, RWE, we look for
Essent and RWE
opportunities in the market. We also have strong ties with knowledge and research institutes as well as investment funds, which allows us to keep a close watch on the latest
The merger with RWE enables Essent to cooperate with
developments. We make a selection from the many
the various subsidiaries within the RWE group. This
possible technologies, which we can then develop further
allows both parties to benefit from RWE’s strength, the
as innovations. With our knowledge and experience, our
mutual collaboration, and the exchange of knowledge.
infrastructure, customers, capital and collaboration with other parties, we are putting together the most valuable portfolio of innovations.
• Because of Essent’s pioneering role in the area of co-firing biomass, an important exchange of knowledge is occurring within RWE for the purpose
Development Innovation is a specialisation. Within Essent, there is a
of making energy production more sustainable. • In the field of electric transportation, Essent works
specialised business unit called ‘New Energy’, which is
closely together with RWE Effizienz, who develop
responsible for carrying out innovation activities. Essent
charging stations, and with RWE Technology, for
New Energy, in close cooperation with the rest of the
the implementation of recharging station
company, is developing and implementing the innovation strategy. New Energy is a knowledge centre and a linchpin
infrastructure in the Netherlands. • From its very beginnings, Essent has held an
for RWE’s various R&D departments. It maintains
important position in wind power generation in the
relationships with universities and knowledge institutes, and
Netherlands. Soon after the merger with RWE, the
acts as a sparring partner for government agencies.
Essent business unit that develops wind power
New Energy also initiates the development of new products
projects was absorbed into RWE Innogy, the company
and services. To do this, New Energy researches new
where all the knowledge and experience in the field
technologies, sets up pilot projects to test and further
of wind power in Europe has been aggregated.
develop them, and uses the results to create new business
The Dutch projects are therefore developed by
concepts. This continuous process of gathering knowledge,
another RWE subsidiary, however, the Green Energy
making choices and developing projects, is represented
is, of course, supplied to our own Essent customers.
schematically in the figure shown alongside.
7
BioBased Economy
the art of making optimum use of biomass Biomass co-ďŹ ring is an important source of fuel for the production of sustainable energy. In this area, Essent has been the trendsetter for years. However, a lot of optimisation is still possible within in the value chain from biomass up to and including electricity generation, as a result of which the value chain can become more efficient and sustainable. You can think of the optimisation of transport and co-ďŹ ring characteristics of biomass in this regard. But there is also much left to achieve in the area of extracting high-value components from biomass. The fact is that biomass is used primarily for the generation of power at present, and this is a missed opportunity, both in the sense of economics and sustainability. Biomass contains a treasure trove of wealth. The art is in extracting it. This can be achieved by splitting the biomass into its constituent components, which we call bioreďŹ ning. The highvalue components of biomass, such as vitamins, proteins and sugars, can be used as sustainable raw materials for various products in other industries. The low-value residue will be used for the generation of sustainable energy. For Essent, this is the BioBased Economy.
Biomass: a CO2-neutral fuel 'Biomass' is the generic name for organic matter of all kinds, such as wood, grass and manure. We are able to generate electricity through the incineration, fermentation and gasification of these materials. This produces fewer CO2 emissions than the burning of fossil fuels. Trees and plants absorb CO2 while they grow, which is once again released during incineration. This is a relatively short CO2 cycle, which we can safely call CO2-neutral. This is very different from the burning of fossil fuels, which have already been in the ground for millions of years. The CO2 that is released in that case, is not part of the natural, short-term CO2 cycle on the earth, and has major consequences for the environment and the climate. Therefore, the burning of biomass does not contribute to an increase of CO2 in the atmosphere. This is the reason why we call biomass CO2-neutral.
Green Gold Label
into small compact wood pellets with a high energy content.
Biomass is increasingly used as a sustainable fuel in power
In a recent test we successfully co-fired more than fifty
stations. Using biomass has given rise to criticism from
percent (based on mass) wood pellets. In doing so, the Amer
time-to-time, since cultivating it might be at the expense
Power Plant took an historical step towards becoming a
of the food supply and old-growth forests. In order to
hybrid power station; i.e. a power station that co-fires fifty
prevent this from happening, Essent developed the ‘Green
percent biomass on a continuous basis.
Gold Label’ as far back as 2002. This label guarantees that the biomass does not compete with food provision,
BioBased Economy:
does not contribute to deforestation, and does not
Within New Energy, we have been working on projects in the
harm the environment in any other way. The Worldwide
area of Biomass Chain Innovations for some time. In this
Wildlife Fund, together with independent certification and
way, we want to energetically further the optimization of the
inspection agencies, monitors the use of label.
value chain from (residual) biomass to electricity generation. The focus in this process will be on transportation and
10
Wood pellets
co-firing properties. This adds a new and important
Essent is at the forefront of co-firing biomass in coal-fired
dimension to the BioBased Economy.
power stations and in this way has already been generating
BioBased Economy, is an overarching term for
sustainable energy on a large scale since 2001. In the Amer
developments in the area of biomass applications, the most
Power Plant, thirty percent biomass is co-fired in the form
important aim of which is to use the high-value biological
of wood pellets. This is a waste stream from the timber
structures of biomass for high-value purposes, and to use
industry, e.g. sawdust, which has been dried and compressed
the low-value residues for energy production.
Essent and Biomass Biorefining is used to release the high-value components.
• Essent plays a leading role in the area of co-firing
These components can be used, for example, in the
biomass with a successful test of co-firing more
pharmaceutical, food or feed industries, the (fine)
than 50 percent biomass (based on mass) in the
chemistry, and in the production of bio-fuels for motor
Amer Power Plant.
vehicles. This also means that collaboration between the sectors referred to, is crucial for this project.
• For Essent, BioBased Economy is the spearhead in the area of biomass; the focus is on optimal utilisation of the high-value biological structures of
Algae Essent is currently researching the various possibilities offered by a new technology, in which the CO2 that is
biomass, and using the residue for energy production. • The AlgiCoat project is a textbook example of the
released during energy production, is pumped into an algae
optimum utilisation of biomass. The building blocks
pond. Algae are microscopically small plants at the bottom
from algae are used as a sustainable raw materials
of the food chain. Under the right conditions, they double
supply for paint production, after which the residue
in size every two minutes. Whilst they are growing, algae
is used for sustainable energy production.
produce oxygen and absorb CO2. Algae grow very efficiently. Their yield per hectare is ten times greater than conventional plants. Another advantage, is that algae can be harvested continuously, which means that a constant supply of biomass will be available. The abovementioned properties offer many possibilities. For example, certain algae components can be used in the food and chemical industries, but they can also be used as a biofuel.
11
AlgiCoat
an experimental setup with two tanks full of algae that are
In the AlgiCoat project, Essent together with AkzoNobel,
being fed CO2 from one of Essent’s power plants.
Wageningen University and the algae specialist, Ingrepro,
After the base materials have been extracted from the
is currently investigating how many high-value chemical
algae, the residue is used as fuel for the power plants. At the
elements can be extracted from algae.
moment, the cost of production and processing of algae
The researchers are also looking at the extent to which bio
still exceeds the returns. However, the ultimate objective of
building blocks from algae can be processed into sustainable
research projects is to reduce the cost of these applications.
base materials for paint production. This is carried out in
The AlgiCoat project will run until 2012.
Foods Sunlight Algae farming
Cosmetics Harvest
Extraction and reďŹ ning
(Fine) chemicals
Residues CO2
Nutrients residual currents
Transport fuels
Biofuel
Green electricity and heating Energy conversion
CO2
12
Food supplement
“Algae as fuel for power plants”
13
Interview: Nina Skorupska “Cofiring biomass provides a reliable road to complete sustainability”
Nina Skorupska Chief Technology Officer at Essent
‘As compared to volatile sustainable energy sources such as wind or solar, cofiring biomass provides an economic, reliable and flexible way to reduce coal usage. Economic because we can adapt existing power plants, reliable because the technology has already been tried and tested and flexible because power plants can produce in accordance with the market situation.’
14
‘When it comes to the technique of cofiring coal and biomass, Essent’s Amercentrale in Geertruidenberg is the leading lady. She provides over 3 million households with electricity alongside a heat production, saving some 125 million m3 of natural gas per year. Over 2010 we managed to consistently replace 35% of coal with clean wood pellets. Over the next two years we will invest in enhancing our cofiring techniques to work this percentage up to 50% and after that eventually 80%. Tests have already proven it to be possible. This will be a big step towards achieving our goals of reducing CO2 emissions by 20% and increasing sustainable energy production by 20% over the next 10 years.’
European hub ‘Multiple industries are looking at the possibilities of a BioBased Economy in an synergistic way. The Netherlands have the potential of becoming a European hub, which will boost the economy. Essent understands the full chain around biomass. We have played a leading role in aligning stakeholders to harmonize certification of biomass sources. We seek joint ventures with other industries, for instance in chemical industry and paper industry. An example is our collaboration with Akzo Nobel, who are using algae in their production process. The algae residue can be cofired in our power plants, while our CO2 emissions can be captured and used to accelerate the growth of the algae.’
BioBased Economy ‘Cofiring biomass is one piece in the complete jigsaw of a reliable, sustainable energy supply. However, to make the use of biomass economically viable it still needs an adequate government support scheme. If you look at it from a holistic perspective, this is justifiable. The Netherlands will clearly benefit from a BioBased Economy, from the port of Rotterdam where the biomass is received and distributed in Europe, to power stations through to road construction companies who use the fly ash in their products. The most important future chains of biomass applications will look as follows: biomass is initially used as a raw material and the (biological) rest products of such processes will become available for energy conversion.’
Nina Skorupska Chief Technology Officer at Essent
15
Torrefaction and Pyrolysis: carbonised biomass and oil extracted from plants Essent is a trend-setter in the production of electricity through co-ďŹ ring or gasiďŹ cation of biomass. It is easier and more attractive to use biomass that has been pre-processed. Essent wants to increase the proportion of biomass used for the generation of electricity by employing pyrolysis and torrefaction as pre-processing techniques. These new techniques process biomass by heating it with little or no oxygen. In the case of torrefaction, the ďŹ bre structure of the biomass will be destroyed and a carbonised biomass is created. With pyrolysis, an oil-like product is created, which can serve as fuel when using special burners.
16
Torrefaction
by extracting moisture and volatile elements. The volume
The anticipated improvement in efficiency with torrefaction
is reduced by compressing it into pellets. This produces
is considerable. This technology has a number of advantages
a compact biofuel with a high energy content, which is
over wood pellets, which are widely used at the moment.
sometimes referred to as bio-coal. Other advantages are
With torrefaction, the weight of the biomass is reduced
also important, such as smaller transport volumes and
Essent and Pyrolysis & Torrefaction therefore a reduction in environmental impacts. The latter will certainly be the case when torrefaction facilities are built near the biomass source.
• Based on favourable test results, Essent is planning to co-fire more than 150,000 tonnes of torrefied
Bio-coal tests Bio-coal looks like hard coal. This means that it can easily be crushed for burning. It is also water repellent, which
biomass per year in the Amer Power Station as a substitute for burning pit coal. • After carrying out a promising study in the area of
meant that, unlike wood pellets, it can be stored in the
pyrolysis, Essent is investigating practical applications
open air. These benefits make bio-mass infrastructure less
for pyrolysis oil in various areas at a centralised and
complex, reduce costs, and enable biomass to be used with
decentralised level.
greater flexibility. Essent expects a great deal from this technology, and has therefore entered into contracts with two torrefaction pellet suppliers. Once the bio-coal is being delivered, we are going to conduct large-scale tests with this fuel in the Amer
generation, and Essent will be able to burn biomass other
Power station over a number of years. The tests have been
than wood. An additional advantage is that the ashes,
designed to determine whether bio-coal does indeed have
which contain valuable minerals, will stay behind at the
all the virtues referred to above. Over the next five years,
place of origin. These minerals can be used again in the
more than 400,000 tonnes of bio-coal is expected that to
sustainable cultivation of new biomass.
be co-fired as a substitute for coal.
Pyrolysis as a technology has been developed further than torrefaction, but its application in the energy sector is
Pyrolysis
relatively new. Pyrolysis oil is primarily suitable for burning in
Wood is the most used biomass for power generation,
power stations. When the quality of this product is improved
and demand is growing worldwide. Younger biomass
further in the future, it can be converted to petrol or diesel
such as straw, bagasse, roadside grass clippings and other
through a refinement process.
agricultural waste have been less suitable up till now,
Essent, together with a firm of consultants and other
because a high content of undesirable components in the
scientists, is conducting research for potential raw
ashes causes problems for the power station.
materials and locations for the application of pyrolysis,
Pyrolysis solves this problem. During the pyrolysis process,
and the possibility of burning the oil in power stations.
the ashes are separated from the oil product. As a result,
The process includes examinations of technological and
alternative biomass streams can be utilised for power
financial feasibility.
17
Energy management
from passive customer to equal partner One of the greatest challenges within the energy sector is the transition to affordable and reliable infrastructure for sustainable energy production. Wind power, decentralised production, heat pumps and electric vehicles all require more exibility from energy infrastructure. These developments also create a lot of new opportunities. We can, for example, make more efficient use of the infrastructure and the energy being generated, by recharging electrical cars or through the coordination of micro-CHPs. Offering different services, changes the relationship between customer and energy supplier. They turn a passive customer into an equal partner. For example, the customer may choose to actively sell his or her decentralised generation of energy to neighbours and family. Or he or she lets smart software adjust his or her demand for electricity to the amount available without losing any of the comforts, resulting in a lower energy bill and a reduced impact on the environment.
Energy management: optimum utilisation of energy As a result of new technologies, it is getting much easier for consumers to make optimum use of their own energy at home and the energy available from the grid. Through the further development of solar panels, solar boilers, micro-CHPs, electric cars, heat pumps and fermentation installation, the option of making full use of self-generated energy at speciďŹ c times is becoming more and more attractive. At certain times, the production of electricity or gas will cost less and will be more sustainable than using energy from the grid. The consumer will also be able to purchase energy at a time when it is cheap. Saving energy yourself, is perhaps the best way of making optimum use of energy.
A matter of time Consumers are still accustomed to the uninterrupted availability of energy, without having to take anything into consideration. They barely understand their own energy consumption or the existing opportunities for reducing their energy bill. Slowly but surely, customers are going to pay more and more for the exibility that the energy supplier has to provide in order to guarantee uninterrupted availability of energy. At the moment, suppliers of energy services are not yet able to convince customers to make use of energy management systems. It is often unclear to the customer, what the beneďŹ ts for him or her might be. Moreover, customers want a personalised service which can be reduced or expanded as desired, without having to make an investment of their own. However, the time will come when suppliers of energy services will be able to convince their customers to start using the opportunities available for reducing their energy bill and optimising the energy system as a result. It is a matter of time and leadership.
20
Essent and Energy Management Self generation
• Essent provides smart solutions for Energy
The HRe boiler (high-efficiency with electricity generation),
Management such as the 'smart thermostat', so
or micro-CHP, is a small power plant in the home. Like a
that customers will be able to keep their bills
conventional HRe boiler, this kind of boiler produces heat
under control.
and hot water, and generates electricity at the same time. This is more efficient because a larger amount of usable energy is produced from the same amount of gas. This also reduces CO2 emissions and, what’s more, it is good for
• In a future with electricity from sustainable sources, self-management of energy will become more valuable. • Essent, together with its partners, builds Energy
the bank balance. In 2009 and 2010, 200 households
Management solutions. These solutions are already
received a HRe-boiler from Essent. As soon as the results of
being tested by innovative consumers today.
this large-scale test are available, the further scaling-up of HRe-boiler distribution can begin.
Heat pump
during the winter, so that it can be used for space heating.
In our environment, a great deal of energy is present in
During the summer months, the heat pump can use this
the form of ‘low-temperature heat’. This form of energy
low temperature source of heat for cooling.
is still difficult to utilise at present. Using a heat pump,
A heat pump works in almost the same way as a refrigerator.
the temperature of this heat source can be increased
By passing low-temperature heat from the ground, air or
21
water across a liquid that boils at a low temperature, the
will become more and more attractive for consumers and
heat is extracted. By compressing this liquid, its temperature
businesses to install solar panels on their roofs.
rises. Next, the heat is conveyed alongside water pipes of a heating system, for example, and is transferred to it.
Smart buying
By applying this existing technology to existing heating
Nowadays, Essent is continuously supplying electricity and
installations, it will be possible to reduce the use of
gas that is, in part, produced sustainably. Depending on the
expensive fossil fuels.
availability of the sources of energy concerned, production and network capacity, the costs incurred by the energy
Solar panels
supplier will vary from one moment to the next. Energy
All energy on earth is in one way or another derived from
suppliers could pass on these differences to the customers,
the sun. The sun’s energy can be converted directly into
and then assist them in optimising their consumption.
heat or electricity by capturing the sunlight with a solar
For example, customers can store electricity when it is
water heater or photovoltaic cells. This is becoming more
cheap, and use it when the mains supply is more expensive.
and more attractive, because the amount of power that is
Customer might also choose to use more energy at times
generated per square metre of solar panel increases every
when it is cheaper or more sustainable, and less when it is
year, whereas the cost of the panels is coming down every
more expensive or less sustainable.
year. When the price of energy from the grid increases, it
Heat pump
Electricity 25%
Compressor
Outside air as heat source 75%
Usable heat 100%
Evaporator Condenser
Central heating pump
22
Smart software
equipment on and off automatically. Alternatively, the
Using information technology, customers can continuously
software will signal the customer, so that he or she can
adjust their energy consumption to the energy availability
take action personally. Given the rising cost of energy
in their home and from the grid. In addition, information
and the increasing uctuations in energy prices, the time
technology is able to assist with the optimum use of their
required to recoup the cost of the information technology
own energy storage and electricity generation equipment.
needed, continues to shrink. For this reason, information
The required information will come from various meters
technology is going to be used more and more often
and sensors, and is used by smart software to switch
to utilise equipment as efficiently as possible. The ďŹ rst
Power Shifting Use
Flexible Power Generation
0
4
8
12
16
20
24
Energy Output Solar Panels Electricity Consumption
23
applications already on the market, are digital energy
Energy savings
meters and feedback systems. For larger installations such
Apart from self-generation and smart purchasing, energy
as CHPs used by market gardeners, information technology
saving is perhaps the easiest way of reducing energy bills
is already used a lot to ensure optimum use of such
and reducing our impact of the environment. Who doesn’t
decentralised equipment.
accidentally leave a light on, or (worse), the heating? Insulating the house is often a time consuming and major
PowerMatching City Hoogkerk
job that many people dread. However, once insulation has
PowerMatching City Hoogkerk is another test of the
been installed, it will quickly make a difference of thirty
software. It is part of a project by Essent and its partners,
percent in gas/heat consumption without the need for any
ECN, KEMA and Humiq, sponsored by the European Union.
lifestyle adjustments. The cost of replacing an old chest
PowerMatching City Hoogkerk takes a giant step
freezer with a new one, is often recouped within a few years,
towards the introduction of the PowerMatching system.
whereas it will easily last for ten years or more. Essent wants
The PowerMatcher is a smart software program, which
to assist customers in identifying the best savings options.
ensures that equipment will automatically use energy in
Essent can also play a role in the purchase of such an
an optimum way. This is achieved on the basis of current
energy-saving option.
energy prices for grid supply and feed-back of electricity. households have been equipped with a mix of heat pumps,
Large-scale energy storage: Supply and demand in equilibrium
HRe-tanks, solar panels, washing machines, dishwashers
In addition to creating flexibility in the energy system at the
and freezers as well as a few electric cars and a windmill
consumer’s end, large-scale storage may also serve as an
are all connected to the software. The system is linked
alternative for this purpose.
to the Dutch energy exchange, APX, and the TenneT
Sustainable sources of energy, such as wind and sunlight,
Imbalance Market, as a result of which the software is able
are becoming increasingly important for our energy supply.
to determine the optimum price for energy.
However, the production of wind and solar energy is fitful
The project uses the electricity prices as a coordination
and unpredictable. This makes it more and more difficult
tool, so that electric cars will actually start charging when
to balance demand and supply of energy. However, this
there is a lot of wind. In the follow-up project, which starts
will be possible with large-scale energy storage. When the
in January 2012, the prices will actually be used to reward
supply of wind energy is high and demand is low, e.g. during
customers for the ‘flexibility’ in energy consumption or local
the night, the energy can be stored for use at times when
generation that they provide.
demand is high, such as during working days.
In the village of Hoogkerk near Groningen, twenty-three
24
Forms of energy storage
being investigated by RWE Power. Essent Innovation is
Essent has conducted a number of investigations in the
involved in an initiative to implement CAES in the north of
area of energy storage. For example, the possibility of
the Netherlands.
constructing Underground Pumped Storage Power Stations,
Large scale energy storage has shown that it cannot
and the creation of an energy island. This will involve
resolve the demand for more exibility completely. Essent
pumping water up when demand for electricity is low. A
continues to monitor developments in energy storage
third method of energy storage is the compression of air
and we see storage as increasingly being integrated in our
and storing it, for example, in empty salt mines. So-called
energy system.
CAES (Compressed Air Energy Storage), is currently
Washing/drying
Solar cells
Break-even point
HRe
Wind turbine
Charging an electric vehicle
25
Interview: Norbert Vroege “Consciously managing energy is more important than ever” Norbert Vroege CEO of Plugwise, which provides an insight into energy consumption with smart power plugs
‘The world of energy is changing; especially lately, things are changing rapidly. At Plugwise, we noticed that until recently, parties were reluctant to collaborate. That time has passed. The focus on innovative products is increasing, because the topic is becoming more and more visible. Take a look at the products and services supplied by Essent, for example. Consciously managing energy is more important than ever
More insight ‘We have recently joined the pilot project, Energy Management, with which Essent wants to give thirty households a better understanding of their energy consumption. Cisco and Accenture are also taking part. Together, we provide both the peripheral equipment and the ability to monitor consumption. Our aim is to create the biggest possible energy savings with the least possible resources. Moreover, in Essent we have found an energy supplier that really chooses new forms of energy. The company takes it seriously and provides options. The collaboration is enjoyable and the lines of communication are short. Moreover, it is nice to see that Essent chooses to work with local partners. In this way, we keep our knowledge and excellence close to home.’
26
Smart power ‘When it comes to saving energy, I like to distinguish between smart and dumb electric power. The cheapest supplier? It is not the only thing that people focus on. Show what you have to offer. Show how much energy they save with innovative products. If you supply the added value in the right way, people are more than happy to pay extra for it. Although we increasingly look to innovation, we are lagging behind countries like the United States of America. In the USA, the use of differentiated energy tariffs is much further advanced. I nevertheless believe that we will catch up to them fast. It will be impossible to imagine of life here without using terms such as Energy Management in five years from now. The rapid development in our distribution
Norbert Vroege
networks will play an important role in this regard. Compare it to the Internet.
CEO of Plugwise, which provides an
With the arrival of ADSL, it made an enormous leap forward. We are presently at
insight into energy consumption with
a similar junction’
smart power plugs
27
Sustainable mobility carbon neutral driving is the future
In many cases, cars are still running on fossil fuels, as a result of which they emit CO2. The total number of kilometres driven is also rising each year. Essent is working on systems for both Green Gas and electricity that enable cars to operate in a far more environmentally friendly way. In this regard, new infrastructure for the recharging of electric cars is also gaining in importance. As a result, our daily routine of driving our cars for some distance and then stopping at a pump to ďŹ ll up with petrol, diesel or LPG, will gradually become a thing of the past.
Electric vehicles: fewer particulates and less CO2 emission Mass-produced electric cars are expected to be using Dutch roads from 2011. These cars do not emit any particulates and emit much less CO2. Moreover, electric cars are an ideal transition technology: by using more and more sustainable sources of energy, they will even be driving without causing any CO2 emission.
Commitment!
investment deductions will often apply as well. There are
Big cities are increasingly faced with the problem of
also a large number of municipal subsidies and benefits
particulates from local emissions. European standards in
for electric cars, including free power and free parking in a
this regard, and their enforcement, are becoming stricter
number of inner cities.
all the time. Electric vehicles reduce local emission to zero, and will be able to make a significant contribution to the air
Production
quality programs of cities.
From 2011, a number of well-known car manufacturers will
Furthermore, driving electric vehicles already leads to an
start mass-producing electric cars, which will make it more
immediate reduction in total CO2 emissions by around
attractive for the general public. Within fifteen years, a large
60 g/km. The European Union is demonstrating a strong
proportion of all new cars will have electric engines, and will
commitment to a more sustainable society, and it has ruled
cost approximately the same as a conventional car. Electric
that, from 2012, new cars will not be permitted to emit
scooters and bicycles are already for sale everywhere.
more than an average of just 130 g/km of CO2. Electric
Essent is pleased to contribute to these sustainable
vehicles, therefore, can make an immediate and large
developments, and promotes the technology and the
contribution to the implementation of this ruling.
market for electric vehicles. We provide a good example by
Essent is strongly committed to ensuring that electric vehicles
having tens of electric lease cars and commercial vehicles in
use one hundred percent Green Energy. This will make a big
our fleet. Partnerships with prominent organisations ensure
contribution to the ‘greening’ of the transport sector.
that our vision is widely disseminated and that concrete projects are being developed. The focus will be to recharge
The Netherlands
the electric cars of our customers in the best possible way.
The Dutch national government is also encouraging the
30
use of electric vehicles by not charging BPM (Vehicle Sales
Our philosophy
Tax) or Road Tax, providing subsidies for pilot projects, not
Essent offers an overall charging solutions plan for electric
charging a leasing surcharge, and discouraging the use
vehicles: public and private charging points and wall panels
of cars that are harmful to the environment. MIA/VAMIL
with BackOffice, smart management and a measuring
Essent and Electric Transportation system. Entirely in accordance with European standards in the
• Essent works with local and provincial
area of safety and interoperability. A standard plug for electric
governments on the large-scale rollout of public
cars and proper arrangements with regard to charging station
charging infrastructure for electric cars. From mid
access, are the most important elements in this regard.
2011, Essent will be installing between 125 and
In 2009 and 2010, a number of pilot projects were
1250 public charging stations in the area of
implemented in collaboration with municipal councils, provincial authorities and businesses who, like Essent, have
Amsterdam. • In collaboration with leasing companies and the car
major ambitions when it comes to sustainable electric
industry, Essent will in the future provide drivers
transportation. In this way, the benefits of electric vehicles
with charging infrastructure at home and at work.
are demonstrated to future users, and new infrastructure, products and services will continue to be developed.
• Essent will invest in fast charging facilities in public spaces. Essent has installed the first fast charging stations in Leeuwarden and Amsterdam.
Recharging
• Essent regards 'smart charging' in the context of
One important success factor for electric vehicles is the
Energy Management as a sustainable and attractive
ability recharge them anywhere. Not just at home, but
application. It is being tested in the PowerMatching
also at the office, in car parks, and at service stations.
City project in Hoogkerk.
Together with other parties in this market, including the Formula E-team, Essent is working on interoperable charging systems, enabling everybody to recharge their car everywhere, and whereby it doesn’t matter which energy company a person is the customer of. We are also working with the other subsidiaries in the RWE group, on an international network of charging stations. This further optimises the convenience and recharge options for the consumer.
31
Interview: Hans Streng “Twenty years from now, we will all be driving electric vehicles”
Hans Streng CEO of Epyon, which manufactures advanced fast chargers for electric cars
‘I have an electric scooter myself. When I drive it to work in the morning, I sometimes look around me in amazement while waiting at a traffic light. Other scooters and cars; we blow so much exhaust gas into the atmosphere! At the moment, we still think of this as normal, even though we all know that there is another way.’
32
In half an hour ‘At the start of last year, we opened the first European fast charging station in Leeuwarden, together with a number of other parties, including Essent. This will be followed shortly by another ten such stations, where you can recharge your car in half an hour. The limited range will become less of a bottleneckthis way. In the future, we will no longer stop for fuel. Instead, we will mainly be charging our vehicles between journeys. In ten years from now, one in every ten cars will be electrically driven. In twenty years from, we won’t know any better. We will then look back at today and won’t be able to understand how we were able to keep going like this. This realisation is still in its infancy, even though the business sector has already changed course. It is now the consumer’s turn to take the step forward. The train has gotten up to steam and is not going to stop again. I am absolutely convinced about that’
Scepticism is declining ‘I know, we are still at the starting line. But with it, we are also at the start of new way of thinking about refuelling. Scepticism is declining already because batteries are also improving. Now it is essential to translate theory into practice; having the courage to commit oneself. This will, of course, be accompanied by uncertainty. For that reason, I am so happy that Essent is tackling this with us. It is not easy to depart from existing processes, especially for a large company. Fortunately, Essent realises that when you are big, you also have a lot of opportunities in the area of innovation. Pioneers create the market. With a partner like that, collaboration for us at Epyon, is a pleasure.’
Hans Streng CEO of Epyon, which manufactures advanced fast chargers for electric cars
33
Green gas: cleaner, quieter and more economical Driving on Green Gas is a clean and sustainable form of transport that can already be applied quite easily, and is at the point of a breakthrough. Essent wants all vehicles that use natural gas, to start using Green Gas. Driving a car using gas, is cleaner, quieter and more economical than any other type of fuel. Moreover, Green Gas is practically CO2 neutral. It starts with the production of biogas by fermenting organic materials. In oxygen-free conditions, bacteria convert the material into biological gas. After processing, Green Gas is created, which can be pumped into the gas mains, so that it can be used as fuel for cars, either directly or indirectly.
Applications
of independent Green Gas service stations has doubled in
Green Gas is a sustainable, home-grown product. Essent
the past year. In late 2011, around 100 Green Gas service
has successfully marketed this gas since 2008. Green
stations will have been established, which has created a
Gas busses are running in Zeeland and in The Hague, for
national network of coverage. As the market leader, we are
example, but other vehicles such as passenger cars and
convinced that in addition to electric vehicles, Green Gas will
commercial vehicles can also use Green Gas. The network
occupy a prominent position in the fuel mix for transport.
Fuel
Gas and gas network
Residual products
Organic material: e.g. on waste disposal sites, in manure or kitchen and garden waste.
34
Biogas can be produced through fermentation of organic material.
Reprocessing of landďŹ ll gas and biogas into green gas.
Essent and Green Gas Certificate
• Essent is the market leader in Green Gas and stood
It has emerged, that Green Gas is also a good way for large
at the cradle of the Green Gas certificate system,
business customers to achieve a CO2 footprint reduction, as
which de-links the supply and demand of Green
well their promotional and commercial objectives. The basis for this includes a certificate system created by Essent, which
gas, and stimulates this new market. • Due to the collaboration between Essent, various
makes it possible de-link demand and supply. This means
government agencies and several biogas producers,
that, by purchasing a certificate, the user is buying virtual
the first Green Gas hub in the Netherlands will start
Green Gas, whilst the gas is being produced and supplied
operating in early 2013. This is a 32 kilometre
somewhere else. This approach is important, because
biogas pipeline with a refinery to produce the
it offers the customers in a new market the opportunity to choose Green Gas in favour of the already very clean,
Green Gas. • Green Gas can also be liquefied: Liquefied Biogas
natural gas. Companies such as Gulpener and Van Houtem
(LBG). This is the way that Essent works on direct
are using Green Gas in this way, similar to the introduction
applications for Green Gas in traffic.
of sustainable beer and the production of the world’s first ‘cradle to cradle’ toilet roll.
Large-scale Green Gas
agencies, has taken important steps towards the realisation
Essent, together with a consulting agency, the provincial
of an innovative, thirty-two kilometre long biogas
government of Friesland, network companies and local
infrastructure system, which a number of farmers will be able
35
to start using at the start of 2013. It will be the first Green
innovative aspect of the project. It so happens that the
Gas Hub in the Netherlands. Essent is discussing a large-
biogas comes from both a water purification plant and from
scale rollout of this concept with government agencies.
a waste dump, and is purified at the same time.
We are also investigating small-scale, clean manure
The gas will be able to become a sustainable, liquefied
fermentation for farms. This is another promising path for
replacement for the fossil diesel fuel that is used in trucking
biogas. Because of this and other ambitions in the area of
and shipping. Moreover, the liquid CO2 that is thus captured,
sustainable energy, Essent has at the close of 2010 signed a
can be used in greenhouse cultivation. Because of these
collaboration agreement with FrieslandCampina. As a result,
favourable prospects, Essent has chosen not to apply for a
it will be possible for the dairy farmers who are members of
SDE subsidy, but to start construction immediately, so that
this cooperative and are connected, to speed up the process
the production plant can be commissioned in April of 2011.
of making energy management on their farms more sustainable, with an exclusive ‘EnergyContactPoint’.
The future Green Gas has the potential to replace ten percent of gas
Liquefied Green Gas
consumption in the Netherlands Essent’s aim is to expand
In Haarlem’s Schoteroog, Essent will be starting the first
the market for Green Gas with the production and use of
liquefied Green Gas project in the Netherlands. ‘Liquefied
home-grown biofuel. To achieve this, Essent will develop
biogas’ (LBG) is created by cooling biogas to 163 ⁰C below
innovative customer offers for 2011, whereby companies
zero, so that it liquefies. This technology is not the only
will be able to switch to Green Gas transport fuel.
Definitions • Biogas: methane containing gas produced from renewable biomass through fermentation. • Green Gas: a gaseous energy carrier extracted from renewable biomass of a quality and
36
• Green gas can be obtained through the purification of biogas • LBG ( Liquefied BioGas): liquefied methane produced from renewable biomass. LBG is the
calorific value (35.17 MJ) that equals natural gas
biological counterpart of LNG (Liquefied
quality from the public grid.
Natural Gas)
“Green Gas gets up to steam"
37
Energy production
making the supply of energy more sustainable & efficient Fossil fuels are still indispensable for the production of energy at this time. However, during the production of electricity and heat from fossil fuels, greenhouse gases are released. Essent is aware of this and is therefore doing all it can to not only ensure that electricity production remains affordable and reliable, but also that it is as sustainable as possible. As a result, we are always searching for cleaner and more efficient ways of producing energy. To this end, we investigate new techniques and try to improve existing techniques. Essent has, for example, been a trendsetter for years in the area of biomass co-ďŹ ring, and is working continuously to further develop this technology. Essent is also the biggest supplier in the Netherlands of residual heat, generated in very efficient Combined Heat and Power plants (CHPs).
Gasification: pre-treatment for greater efficiency Gasification is a pre-treatment of solid and liquid fuels before they are burned. During the process, a limited amount of oxygen is added to the fuel – too little for complete incineration – creating a synthetic gas mixture consisting of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. It has a number of applications. Burning it enables the extraction of chemicals, and the generation of electricity and heat at high levels of efficiency. The gas mixture can also be used as the raw material for the production of synthetic engine fuels and hydrogen.
Yield
have to be filtered out of the flue gases later. We expect that
The yield obtained from the generation of electricity
the gasification of biomass, waste and waste material flows
through gasification is greater than that obtained by direct
will eventually - e.g. when CO2 capture becomes mandatory
burning of a fuel. One additional advantage is that the CO2
- produce cheaper electricity than burning it. This ensures
can be separated more easily and will therefore no longer
that interest in this technology continues to expand.
Power plant Gasification GasGas & steam plant conditioning turbine Coal from solid Biomass
Sea
CO2 storage in exhausted field at a depth of 1,500 - 3,000 metres Confining layer
Oil and gasfield
40
Syngas
H2
Industry
Electricity
Coal
Gasification project
Oxygen O2
Essent is developing a number of initiatives involving gasification. The aim is to build a gasification plant in a few years time, for the (primary) purpose of gas-fired, highperformance ‘combined heating and power stations’. Some
Gas turbine
Syngas
of the synthetic gas produced, will also be used for the production of chemical products for the industrial facility that also buys the heat from the combined heating and power station.
Slag Waste gases
Waste wood At the Amer Power Plant, Essent has an installation that gasifies waste wood with air. The gas produced is co-fired in the power plant. It is a very efficient and environmentally
Steam
friendly way of using this ‘difficult’ fuel for the production of electricity. Steam turbine + generator
Electricity
Essent and Gasification • Essent is working on the development of multiinput-multi-output gasification for generating electricity at a high level of efficiency. It will also be possible to produce raw materials for the chemical industry. This method is based on the processing of agricultural residues, bio-waste and wood pellets.
41
Geothermal energy: clean heat from the earth Terrestrial heat is energy from the deeper layers of the earth's crust. It is also referred to as geothermal energy. The amount of available geothermal energy is enormous. The six upper kilometres of the earth's crust contain heat that equals 50,000 times the energy that can be produced by all oil and gas reserves worldwide. Terrestrial heat can be extracted from the ground with water, and can be used, for example, to heat homes. The higher the temperature of the water, the easier it is to heat buildings this way. The higher the temperature, the more electricity can be generated. At temperatures of around one hundred degrees centigrade or above, the heat is suitable for generating electricity. When geothermal energy is used, no CO2 or other harmful substances are released. It is therefore a clean form of energy.
12 ºC
± 70 ºC
70 to 80 ºC
30 to 40 ºC ± 100 ºC
42
Essent and Geothermal energy • In collaboration with various parties, Essent has
Drilling
researched Geothermal energy applications in
Like natural gas and oil, it is possible drill for warm water.
housing construction projects and in horticulture.
The deeper the layers of the earth, the hotter the water
At the present, these Geothermal energy projects are
will be. In the Netherlands, the water that is hot enough
not yet economically viable. However, Essent regards
to heat homes and/or buildings is at a depth of about two
the utilisation of Geothermal energy - particularly
kilometres. From a depth of three to four kilometres, it is
'deep' Geothermal energy - as a technology that
hot enough for the generation of electricity.
holds a lot of promise for the long-term.
Drilling for geothermal energy is expensive. The risk is relatively high that the source tapped into is not a viable energy source. New technologies, better knowledge of geological structures and a risk capital fund will have to reduce the risks and the costs.
43
Hot-cold storage We differentiate between ‘deep’ geothermal sources and ‘shallow’ geothermal sources. We use shallow geothermal sources - up to five hundred metres deep – for hot-cold storage. In this process, we extract groundwater with a temperature of approximately ten degrees centigrade from the water bearing layer during the summer months. We use this water to cool buildings. When the temperature of the water has increased, we return it to the water bearing layer. In this way, we create a heat reservoir at this location. During the winter period, we extract the warm water from the ground again and use it to heat the buildings. When the water cools as a result, it goes back into the ground and can be used again for cooling in the summer. Hot-cold storage is a good method if supplying buildings with either cooling or heating. Essent is already using this technique a lot. Examples in ’s-Hertogenbosch include the ‘Paleiskwartier’ and the Essent offices at the ‘Willemsplein’ square.
Electricity generation In volcanically active Iceland, the groundwater that is hot enough for the generation of electricity, is already present at surface level in the form of springs and geysers. In the Netherlands, however, we have to drill to a depth of several kilometres for such hot water. This requires big investment and is a high-risk undertaking. For this reason, deep geothermal energy is not yet used for the generation of electricity in the Netherlands. However, Essent and its partners are investigating the possibilities in this regard in the province of North Brabant.
44
“Using geothermal energy for heating will reduce gas consumption”
45
Carbon Capture and Storage: storing CO2 instead of emitting it Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) describes the capture and storage of CO2 that is released when burning fossil fuels. Many studies and scenarios have shown that, for the moment, we cannot do without these fossil fuels. Until the time that a completely sustainable energy supply becomes available, CCS seems a good solution for reducing the consequences of CO2 emissions. After all, the gas will not get into the air in this way.
Capture and storage of CO2
ways. For example, CO2 can be filtered out of flue gases
Before CO2 can be stored, it must first be separated
after burning, it can be captured from gases prior to
from the flue gases. This can be achieved in various
burning, or it can be filtered out by burning it in a CO2 rich
Power plant with carbon capture
Pipelines
Empty coal fields
Deep aquifer strata
46
Sea
Almost exhausted oil and gas fields
gas mix. When the CO2 has been separated out, it can be transported and stored in empty oil and gas fields and in
Essent and CCS
deep water layers. CO2 can also be usefully applied, for example, in greenhouse horticulture and the cultivation of algae. However, there are still a few problems with CCS: the
CCS is part of the Essent program for reducing the CO2
technology for large-scale capture at power stations has
emissions at Essent power stations. To develop CCS
not been fully developed; there are no relevant laws and
and to achieve large-scale implementation, Essent is
regulations for underground storage as yet; community
actively involved in:
support is not yet universal. The average cost of energy supply will also rise because of the cost of CO2 storage installations and a loss of energy production efficiency of
• various test installations in Niederaussem, Aberthaw and Mountaineer.
around 8%.
• research programs such as CATO2 and its 'own'
CCS developments and projects
• the development of a large-scale capture facility with
research at the University of Groningen. Essent is examining the potential of CCS in various projects.
transport and storage. Essent is looking for storage
Together with Shell, research has been conducted into
options on land and at sea for this purpose.
the capture and storage of CO2 in gas fields under the ocean. In addition, various opportunities for the storage of CO2 in aquifers has been investigated in collaboration with companies such as Nuon, Gasunie and Wintershall. Aquifers are water layers located deep underground.
Netherlands. The foundation focuses, among other things,
Because of technological and economical factors, achieving
on the provision of information about CO2 storage in the
success in these projects is difficult at present. Political and
north, and on dialogue with all interested parties. Essent,
community support also plays a major role.
together with the University of Groningen, is carrying out a number of research projects in the area of CCS.
The BORG Foundation
Among other things, we are looking at the legal aspects
In 2010, the Borg Foundation was established. It is a joint
and international CCS activities with CCS. In addition to
venture between seven parties: RWE, Nuon, Gasunie,
the foregoing, we are also investigating the economic and
NAM, Groningen Seaports, NOM and Energy Valley.
technological viability.
The provinces of Groningen and Drenthe are also involved. The Borg Foundation has to coordinate preparations for the capture, transport and storage of CO2 in the north of the
47
Cooperation with partners Innovation is not something we can just do on our own. Essent brings together its own and outside expertise for this purpose, in order to achieve the best results based on the strengths of the various parties. In the context of this objective, Essent has entered into collaboration agreements with several universities and other educational/research institutions, and it contributes to sustainability and innovation funds.
Innovation: 'multiple heads are better than one' Essent collaborates with several universities and other educational/research institutions. This form of collaboration ensures that we are closely involved in (energy-related) technological innovations, that we are able to expand our knowledge in economic, legal, public and commercial spheres, and that we will be able to evaluate the potential of new technologies. By continuously investigating the latest developments, we keep ourselves sharp, which is an important prerequisite for innovation. In turn, Essent also provides the academic institutions with the beneďŹ t of its own knowledge, gained from experience. In this way, Essent is making a contribution to education, research, and the stimulation of a strong knowledge economy. The collaboration also ensures that students and scientists have a sound understanding of the professional practices within Essent.
50
Accumulating and transferringknowledge
• With the Technical University of Delft, we are
Accumulating and transferring knowledge for innovation
collaborating on the FLOW programme (Far and Large
are important objectives for our collaboration with various
Offshore Wind energy). ’The TU of Delft is also assisting
knowledge institutes. These are some examples of current
us with the validation of biomass business concepts.
research projects. • The University of Groningen is conducting research
• For matters related to the BioBased Economy, Essent works closely with Wageningen University, which is a
into the potential of CCS. They are looking at the legal
knowledge centre for this field. For various projects, such
aspects, international CCS activities and the integration
as AlgiCoat, joint research is conducted and knowledge is
of technical possibilities and legal restrictions.
exchanged about the applications and potential
In addition, the viability of various CCS business models is
of biomass.
being evaluated. Another, current research project is looking at the development of a measuring system inside the chimneys of power stations, capable of determining whether the CO2 in flue gas originates from fossil fuels or from biomass. • Together with the University of Twente (UT), Essent is investigating the effects on energy supply from the large-scale implementation of micro-CHPs. Another study is looking at the optimisation of our energy portfolio. Finally, the UT is assisting us with the analysis of the potential of pyrolysis and torrefaction.
51
Funds: investing in the future Essent has a role to play in making sustainable innovations possible. We are also involved in Corporate Venture Capital activities. Essent invests in funds which, in turn, invest in companies that focus on innovative sustainable technologies. Essent receives a return from these funds as well as gaining an insight into innovation opportunities, because of the knowledge that we receive about many different developments and companies. It also creates an opportunity to connect with the companies we ďŹ nd the most interesting, in the form of joint ventures for example.
Investments
$71 million, $4 million of which has been invested by
Essent currently invests in three funds, i.e. CELP II, CELP,
Essent. At present, the full value of the CELP II fund is
and SET, and closely collaborates with RWE Innogy.
invested in businesses. One example is Cyrium
• The Clean Energy Limited Partners II Fund (CELP II),
Technologies, which is working towards a breakthrough
established by Chrysalix in 2005, acts as the fund-
in PV solar cell technology based on semi-conductor
manager. Other investors include BASF Venture Capital,
nanotechnology.
Citigroup, Delta Lloyd, Robeco, Shell Hydrogen and the Mitsubishi Corporation. The fund is based in Vancouver and operates worldwide. Total value of the fund is
52
• The Sustainable Energy Technology Fund (SET) was set
• RWE itself is the manager of a Venture Capital Fund at
up in August 2007 by Essent and Delta NV. The fund
RWE Innogy. The fund was recently strengthened, so
manages and invests a total of €50 million in new, clean
that the € 75 million in investments that the fund had
energy technology. In the last few years, the SET fund
made already, could be continued and expanded. The
has made various investments in companies such as
collaboration between RWE Innogy and Essent enables
Epyon, Solar Total, CrystalQ and AlertMe. As an investor
Essent to benefit from the knowledge and developments
and upon request, Essent receives an insight into market
that stem from investments by this fund.
developments in the area of sustainable and clean technology.
53
54
Contact details If you would like more information about Essent’s innovation activities or the developments described in this catalogue, please contact:
Essent New Energy Mira Huussen, director Telephone: +31 (0)73 85 31312 E-mail: innovations@essent.nl Postal address: P.O. Box 689, 5201 AR ’s-Hertogenbosch Location: Willemsplein 4, 5211 AK ’s-Hertogenbosch
www.essent.nl
55
Essent Š 2011