Digital Energy Systems

The electrification of society requires a robust electricity network with sufficient capacity to handle future energy flows. This cannot be achieved without digitalisation: smart monitoring and predictive analyses enable better management and planning of grid load. An optimal mix of energy carriers also contributes to a sustainable and reliable energy supply.

Together with almost the entire ecosystem, we are working on a digital action agenda with the Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth. In this agenda, we translate with the ecosystem opportunities and prerequisites into actions needed for a robust and future-proof energy system. For example as TNO, we are developing an open-source Energy System Description Language.

To reinforce the electricity network, optimisation in construction and maintenance is essential. By increasing labour productivity in this sector and implementing more efficient working methods, grid expansions can be realised faster and at lower costs. Digitalisation plays a crucial role in this process.

A more flexible energy system requires new ways to balance supply and demand. In the future energy system, energy will be consumed closer to the source and, for example, used by your neighbours, reducing pressure on costly central networks. New communication protocols, such as S2, are needed to improve interoperability between devices and energy management systems. Digital innovations and data-driven solutions support this. At TNO, we are working on smarter flexible solutions and innovative business models to counter peak loads. We test these hybrid energy systems in our SWITCH lab.

For demand-driven energy provision, users and producers benefit from greater insight into each other's energy consumption and production. This new way of collaboration requires a different mindset. Situational awareness is key to success. Shifting from central to local at all system levels will increase the flexibility and resilience of the entire system.

Congestion management and network regulation are becoming increasingly digitalised. This digital transition brings new challenges in terms of resilience and cybersecurity. A robust design prevents disruptions from spreading and limits the impact of sudden fluctuations in energy use and production. This ensures the energy system remains reliable and resistant to both technical and geopolitical threats.