Flexibility in water

This project addresses the question of how, and in which conditions, water utilities can use the flexibility in the management of their assets to be better placed in a changing energy system. That is important for several reasons: the utilisation of energy produced in-house, cost savings compared to fixed capacity contracts, and the socially relevance of contributing to the energy transition, for example by tackling problems related to grid congestion. To achieve these goals, knowledge and experience from the provincial authorities, and the energy and water sectors, is being collected and shared. In addition, cases in which demand management is possible in the drinking water sector are being selected for potential follow-up projects so that ‘Flex in Water’ can actually be implemented in practice.

Importance and aim

The current lack of grid capacity means that more and more businesses, and even entire new housing developments, no longer qualify for an upgrade in the existing connection to the electricity mains or for new connections. The water sector will also be facing this new reality in the years ahead even though it will need more grid capacity as well. By drawing on in-house flexibility in operations, it may be able to integrate additional assets in the current, contracted, grid capacity.

The Flexibility in Water project provides for the pooling of knowledge and expertise inside and outside the water sector by looking at (1) how (and if) flexible capacity in the drinking water sector can be increased, and in which conditions, (2) the available strategies for ensuring safe water supplies at socially acceptable costs in synergy with the energy transition. Finally, the research will deliver a selection of possible pilot projects in the water sector (including the drinking water sector) designed to increase flexible capacity, allowing for the initial steps to actually be taken towards the implementation of proposed solutions.

Returns and application

In summary, the project is expected to produce an overview of what is possible, or not, in the application of demand-side management and therefore the opportunities open to water utilities to contribute more to the energy transition.

By pooling of existing knowledge and knowledge dissemination, and on the basis of an overview of which cases are promising in terms of increasing flexible capacity, decision-makers at water utilities can make informed decisions, and initiatives can be launched to shape projects.