The InnoFase and Centerpoort Noord business parks in Duiven are leading the way nationally with the introduction of Smart Energy Hubs. Mayor Huub Hieltjes hopes to serve as a source of inspiration for other local authorities. He discusses the importance and the challenges. “Duivenhas the largest contiguous business park in the eastern Netherlands,”says Mayor Hieltjes, a member of The Economic Board. “Thanks in particular to the business parks, around 17 to 18 thousand people earn their living in our municipality every day, which is more than the total working-age population. That is good for overall prosperity.” He is aware that, nationally speaking, there is a growing need for business parks. “This certainly applies to companies involved in the circular economy, which therefore require a high environmental category.”When you mention ‘business park’ and ‘circularity’, you soon end up at InnoFase in Duiven. In 2020, this synergy park won the Circular Economy Award as the Netherlands’ leading circular business location. Hieltjes: “For more than twenty years now, a great deal of attention has been paid there to sustainability and circularity. What makes InnoFase so special is, above all, the synergy between the companies. Among other things, they supply heat, CO₂, biogas and residual waste to one another and to others.”
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According to him, this collaboration provides the perfect breeding ground for the next step: a Smart Energy Hub. Two years ago, all eighteen participating companies signed a letter of intent to this effect. Hieltjes expects the legal arrangements to be finalised this year, including the formation of a board. Why is a Smart Energy Hub so interesting? “Essentially, it comes down to effectively coordinating the production and use of energy at a local level,” explains Hieltjes. “InnoFase generates energy locally using solar panels and wind turbines. You want to use that energy locally as much as possible, so as not to place a burden on TenneT’s national high-voltage grid.” But that is easier said than done. “Among other things, it means you have to be transparent about when you need energy. This requires legally binding agreements. If, for example, one company needs extra energy for a whole morning to start up its production process, its neighbours will have to charge their electric lorries at a different time. Such cooperation leads to much greater efficiency. You could even say it’s essential, because companies looking to grow are now often hitting the limits of the electricity grid.”Adjacent to InnoFase lies the Centerpoort-Noord site. More than ten hectares will soon be added there. This extension, Centrepoort-Noord 2, will have a decentralised energy network from the outset. “The terms and conditions of sale state that companies moving there must participate in the energy collaboration.”Oilman
Smart Energy Hubs therefore have great potential, but according to Hieltjes, there is one caveat. “It’s quite complex to organise. You have to draw up legal agreements and you need a governing body; the start-up phase costs money and you also have to think about storage. I’m convinced it can only succeed if you do it from the outset of a new business park, as with Centerpoort-Noord 2, or if there’s already an existing form of collaboration and trust, as with InnoFase.”What role does the municipality of Duiven itself play? “We’re the lube,” says Hieltjes. “We’ve worked hard with InnoFase to secure pilot status from the province of Gelderland; we bring the right people together, and if there are any changes, we ensure that everyone is kept in the loop. As a council, we also continue to critically assess which businesses are a good fit for InnoFase, in terms of quality and sustainability.” He has a great deal of respect for the entrepreneurs at the two business parks, he explains. “They seek out collaboration and contribute ideas on innovation because they believe in it. In doing so, they look beyond their own walls. I really appreciate that, because it’s quite a challenge. After all, you are giving up a degree of autonomy.”Inspire
Duiven is keen to set an example. “InnoFase is one of two pilot projects run by the province of Gelderland, in which Alliander and TenneT are participating. The then Minister Jetten visited the site, as did representatives from the Ministry of Economic Affairs. That shows we really are among the frontrunners. Yes, it would be wonderful if we could inspire other local authorities.” He has a few tips for those other local authorities. “If you’re doing this for a new business park, you need to get everything sorted properly right from the start. Set up an entity that businesses are obliged to join. With an existing business park, you need to invest heavily in mutual relationships and trust. You also need to explain why it’s necessary. As I said, entrepreneurs are giving up a degree of independence. They therefore need to recognise that, at the end of the day, they stand to gain from it.”
