Dutch solar producer deploys software to maximise portfolio

Belgian energy software start-up Powernaut has completed the deployment of its Energy Operations Workspace platform across the 350MW solar and battery portfolio operated by Dutch independent power producer DSG.

The implementation enables DSG to monitor and operate hundreds of solar installations across the Netherlands through a single digital platform, combining asset performance, electricity market participation and operational reporting into one system.

The project reflects a wider trend across Europe's renewable energy sector, where operators are looking to improve coordination of geographically dispersed assets as grid congestion and market complexity continue to increase.

In the Netherlands, limited electricity network capacity has become one of the principal barriers to further renewable energy deployment, with businesses in some regions facing lengthy waits for new or upgraded grid connections. 

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And that challenge extends across Europe. The European Commission estimates that around €1.2 trillion ($1.4 trillion) will need to be invested in electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure by 2040, while research from its Joint Research Centre suggests that as much as 310TWh of renewable electricity could be curtailed by 2040 if grid expansion fails to keep pace with renewable generation.

Against this backdrop, renewable energy operators are placing greater emphasis on software platforms capable of coordinating large fleets of assets while responding to changing electricity prices, grid constraints and flexibility markets.

Sophisticated software

Powernaut's platform replaces the separate systems traditionally used for operational monitoring, energy trading and business reporting with a single digital workspace. Built on DSG's existing hardware infrastructure, the software combines asset operations, market participation and business management while allowing the company to retain control of its operational data and trading activities.

Detailing the impact of this deployment, Martijn Vermeer, chief operating officer of DSG, said: "Managing a distributed portfolio at this scale requires confidence that every site is operating as expected and that every activation is actually being followed. 

"That is something we did not have before. Powernaut has given us much stronger oversight across the fleet and the flexibility to add new sites and participate in more electricity markets.”

Major milestone

For Powernaut, the deployment represents its largest commercial implementation to date and serves as a reference project as the company expands across Europe. 

Its delighted chief executive and co-founder, Florentijn Degroote, said: “This is an important commercial milestone. It validates our Energy Operations Workspace across a large, live portfolio and gives us a strong reference point as we support other European operators moving towards more flexible operating models.”

The platform is now fully operational across DSG's renewable energy assets and has been designed to accommodate future expansion, including additional solar sites and co-located battery energy storage systems as flexibility becomes an increasingly important feature of Europe's electricity network.