Community-based Virtual Power Plant

cVPP is a unique project for TU/e. It gives a very rare opportunity to set real innovations in practice and study them. This is very different to our daily routines, when we study innovations that are initiated by others and that happened in the past. Given the current sustainability challenges and the urgency to act, this is the right way to go.

The project focuses on:
1) Design & establishment of 3 cVPPs in The Netherlands, Belgium and Ireland
2) Development of a Mobilisation & Replication (MoRe) model, which will serve as a guiding framework for setting up community-based virtual power plants in other areas
3) Replication process in at least 9 new areas

The concept offers a community the opportunity to provide its energy needs with small-scale, distributed low-carbon technologies with participation from individual consumers, local energy companies or SMEs. It can empower prosumers and contribute to the democratisation of energy markets. This process spurs awareness and public engagement in the energy transition. By doing so, it facilitates upscaling of low-carbon energy community-driven initiatives that have, so far, missed critical mass to trigger the energy transition.

A novel model of radical decarbonisation based on empowerment of low-carbon community driven energy initiatives

Project Partners:
Eindhoven University of Technology (Lead Partner)
Subpartner 1: Duneworks
PP2 Tipperary Energy Agency
Subpartner 1: Friends of the Earth
PP3 Stichting Duurzame Projecten Loenen
Subpartner 1: Alliander
Subpartner 2: USEF
PP4 EnerGent
Subpartner 1: Ecopower
PP5 Gemeente Apeldoorn
PP6 Kamp C
PP7 Templederry Renewable energy Supply Limited. T/A Community
Renewable energy supply
Subpartner 1: Claremorris and western District Energy Cooperative Ltd.
Subpartner 2: Limerick Community Grocery Ltd
Subpartner 3: Energy Communities Tipperary Cooperative Ltd.
Subpartner 4: Aran Islands Energy Cooperative
Subpartner 5: Smart M Power Ltd.
PP8 Tipperary County Council