"The issue of impact is becoming increasingly important from both an economic and climate perspective. We see Effekthandel Väst as a start and are keen to be involved in developing the area around impact management and flexibility services," says Mia Edofsson, Head of Sustainability at Akademiska Hus.
The purpose of Effekthandel Väst is to free up capacity in the local electricity grid when the need is greatest, for example during the cold season. On the marketplace, Göteborg Energi Nät will purchase power flexibility from connected electricity grid customers in order to create a more flexible electricity grid and avoid power peaks.
In concrete terms, power trading means that customers temporarily reduce their electricity use or increase their production of electricity to reduce the load on the electricity grid.
The electrical power sold by Akademiska Hus comes from three facilities at Chalmers Campus Johanneberg.
"The power comes partly from our research and production facility for electric combined heat and power, which is powered by biofuel, and partly from two battery systems that we have on campus," says Mia Edofsson.
In a first step, the market will be open from January to March 2022 and then reopen in November. The first transaction between Göteborg Energi Nät and Akademiska Hus has already been completed.
"Electrification in Gothenburg is gaining momentum and is necessary if we are to manage the transition. But it also means that the electricity grids are becoming crowded and that we must use electricity in a smarter way. That is why we have significantly increased our electricity network investments, we have introduced a special power fee for our customers in detached houses and terraced houses, and we are now starting Effekthandel Väst," says Lars Edström, CEO of Göteborg Energi Nät, noting that power trading has great potential.
"We expect that the trade can theoretically free up around 100 megawatts of electricity grid capacity, which is equivalent to two Partille in a cold winter. So the potential is very big. Of course, we hope that many of our customers see the opportunities to join us in creating a smarter and more flexible electricity grid, which is an important part of the energy transition," he says.
Akademiska Hus has ambitious sustainability goals and will achieve climate neutrality for all its operations.
"As part of this, we have been working for a long time with power equalisation on our campuses around the country. By being part of Effekthandel Väst, and thus combining the role of producer and consumer, we can influence the electricity system so that it becomes more resource and climate-efficient," says Mia Edofsson.