Decarbonization of islandsSteinbeis Europa Zentrum supports Energy Community on Borkum

Steinbeis Europa Zentrum supports Energy Community on Borkum

Since 2015, Steinbeis Europa Zentrum has been supporting the island of Borkum in the implementation of decarbonization measures, initially with the NETfficient project and since October 2020 with the EU project ISLANDER.

To strengthen the energy transition on the island, the citizens of Borkum are also involved in the project. As a project partner, Steinbeis Europa Zentrum supports the establishment of a renewable energy community. It conducts an analysis of the technical feasibility and economic viability and initiates citizen participation processes on the island.

The feasibility study considers in principle all technical solutions for the decarbonization of Borkum against the background of feasibility for a renewable energy community. In particular, the solutions being developed in ISLANDER are considered. The key questions here are: Which technology pathway potentially offers the greatest leverage with the least resistance? To what extent is this pathway feasible for a renewable energy community and what expertise is needed to implement it? Is there an attractive business model that enables a sustainable business for a renewable energy community, i.e. offers economic viability?

The possible technology paths are evaluated technically and economically by Steinbeis Europa Zentrum, identifying the greatest potential and the best path for a renewable energy community. Based on this, recommendations are made and attention is drawn to potential obstacles. This way, foundation stones for a renewable energy community on the island of Borkum will be laid in dialogue with interested citizens as well as with the municipal utilities company NORDSEEHEILBAD BORKUM GMBH.

The many years of experience of Steinbeis Europa Zentrum in the areas of technology transfer and public relations provide the best possible conditions for the establishment of a renewable energy community. The study will be published on the ISLANDER project website in the summer of 2023.

About the technologies in ISLANDER

The four-year ISLANDER project builds on its predecessor, NETfficient (2015-2019), which developed an energy platform that integrates various storage technologies and renewable energy sources. The ISLANDER project focuses on the complete decarbonization of the island.

The project will develop an efficient energy management platform that more tightly integrates and centrally manages different energy resources to balance fluctuations in power generation and demand. This will combine local flexibility options such as storage technologies and load management with renewable energy sources. In addition, an innovative concept for local heat supply based on a seawater heat pump and heat storage will be installed in a newly built district near the port of Borkum. A large hydrogen storage facility for seasonal storage will also be implemented.

Project results will be made available to many users. A three-part replication strategy envisages replication on partner islands in the UK, Greece, and Croatia, in related archipelagos, and on other EU islands through collaboration with European island initiatives.

ISLANDER is funded under No. 957669 from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program with a co-funding of 7 million euros.

The project consortium is composed of 11 partners from 7 countries: AYESA Advanced Technologies SA, Spain (project coordinator), IDENER Research & Development, Spain, Steinbeis Europa Zentrum der Steinbeis Innovation gGmbH, Germany, Nordseeheilbad Borkum GmbH, Germany, ZIGOR Research and Development AIE, Spain, CEGASA Energia S.L.U., Spain, elmy energie, France, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium, European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), United Kingdom, the Network of Sustainable Greek Islands (DAFNI), Greece, and Regionalna Energetska Agencija Kvarner, Croatia.

Project website ISLANDER: Home - ISLANDER Project (islander-project.eu)