Boldness where water and energy meet

The fact that KWR has a holistic vision of water en energie can, according to Daniël Bakker, be seen in the concrete approach and boldness of the water institute where the two areas of expertise of meet. “I think a shining example is the production of green hydrogen,” says the researcher, who joined KWR several years ago as one of the first energy experts without a background in water. In October 2024, King Willem-Alexander officially opened the new green hydrogen production station Hysolar on the KWR premises. That was the culmination of five years of research in close collaboration with local entrepreneurs and innovation accelerator Allied Waters, one of KWR’s sister companies. “A great application of KWR’s motto: ‘bridging science to practice’,” says Bakker. 

Grid congestion

By looking at water and energy holistically, you empower everyone, Bakker explains. “Water is, for example, very suitable for transporting and storing energy in the form of heat. At the same time, energy is also very important for water, because you need electricity to treat drinking water. With rising water demand and challenges relating to freshwater availability, water utilities are running up against the problem of grid congestion. The demand for electricity exceeds the capacity of the grid and the grid is overloaded. Connections to the grid are needed both to expand current treatment plants and to look for new sources. Although drinking water utilities are considered to be critical infrastructure, they too sometimes have to take no for an answer. This is an urgent issue.”

Flexibility as interim solution

From the practical side, Tom Goorhuis Old Sanderink confirms that this is a problem. He works as an energy advisor at Dunea, where he developed a model to work flexibly with the energy demand required for drinking water production. “Dunea is a major consumer of energy,” he says. “At our locations, we are already finding that we cannot always achieve the desired production capacity because of a lack of power. And the grid operator also asked us to avoid peak times for energy demand. This ‘peak shaving’ means we use less electricity at peak times, while still having to meet the desired level of production during the day. At other times – when there is enough electricity available from the grid – we have to make up the ‘deficit’. So we came up with the idea of looking at how we can be flexible. If we think of our dunes as a kind of battery, where we store water and choose when to fill them, that could be an interim solution to get round grid congestion. The model shows that this flexibility is possible, and even desirable in terms of energy costs and grid congestion. That’s because energy prices are not the same throughout the day.”

Contributing to the energy transition

Because Goorhuis Oude Sanderink wanted to refine his model further, he called on KWR for help. It fit in perfectly as a case study for FlexInWater; a project designed precisely to avoid – against the backdrop of grid congestion – peak demand through smart water treatment. FlexInWater is a project under the auspices of the research programme Water in de Circulaire Economie (WiCE). In WiCE, water utilities and KWR, working with partners in the context of the water chain, are developing applied knowledge for the transition challenges relating to energy supplies, water availability, climate and a circular economy. Bakker explains how KWR uses projects like this to help the water sector think about their contribution to the energy transition. “Drinking water utilities often manage their business processes on the basis of reducing risks. That makes sense if you have safe and clean drinking water in mind. We work with leaders from the drinking water sector to adjust this mindset and look at opportunities and potential. We conduct research to show how to handle your assets differently. And thanks to our expertise in Resilience Management & Governance we can get people on board. I would like to see projects like FlexInWater help to initiate this paradigm shift.” 

Motivates and challenges

Goorhuis Oude Sanderink thinks that the most striking result of the Dunea case study is that it demonstrates how a flexible approach to treatment processes could be an earning model. “Obviously, the financial benefits are not the only reason to look for flexibility,” he adds. “The real motive is to produce enough drinking water without being affected by grid congestion. The biggest challenge with moving the project forward is how to establish the parameteers. By that I mean:  in which circumstances can we apply flexibility in our business systems? And what about installation, the mains and the nature in the dunes? Once those parameters are clear, I would like to test the model in practice. KWR could help by demonstrating the potential and showing that it works. At that point, as a drinking water utility, we will have an opening to engage in discussions with the grid operator about a capacity-limiting contract in which we agree on how much electricity we can purchase, and when. Grid operators want that as well and, in that way, you can help each other. That moves the energy transition forward.” 

Broad view and holistic impact

KWR researcher Bakker expects that the topic of grid congestion will take shape next year in an increasingly broad context. “The sounding board group of our project includes representatives of drinking water utilities, water authorities, and the three large, local grid operators: Stedin, Enexis and Alliander. That results in the exchange of ideas you need and the issue is picked up on all fronts. As the branch association for drinking water utilities, Vewin has also established a knowledge group for grid congestion. Lobbying is needed so that water receives top priority. Our project and that knowledge group are now working together. The alliance between water and energy must continue to grow and I can see that happening very clearly in the FlexInWater project. From management to operator, everyone is working on it. That makes me very happy.”

If Bakker was in a position to pass an insight about the energy transition onto his principals in the water sector, he would not have to think long about it. “When you adapt business operations, take a broad view and make sure you have a holistic impact. And if you have questions about the interface between water and energy, you should certainly talk to KWR. We have a lot of knowledge in this area by now, and if we can’t answer a question, we know who to refer you to. That makes us a good sparring partner.”