Dynamic Electricity Prices and Flexibility Marketing for the Floating Energy Community Schoonschip

With the technology of the Fraunhofer ITWM, Schoonschip is now connected to energy and flexibility markets whose prices vary quarterly/hourly. This allows the community to increase its flexibility and reduce its energy costs.

The Schoonschip energy community is an association of 30 floating houses with photovoltaic systems, heat pumps and battery storage units in a side arm of the IJ canal, north of Amsterdam. What makes it special is the innovative technologies that enable the members to manage their energy supply collectively. Since 2018, for example, they have been able to maximize the use of their own energy generation by integrating the Amperix energy management system developed at the Fraunhofer ITWM and thus jointly reduce the amount of energy they still need to purchase.

The houses are networked with each other, but also have a connection to the municipal power grid – one for the entire residential project. The energy management system developed by Fraunhofer ITWM also uses battery storage to reduce grid peaks and thus reduce grid usage fees. Researchers at the Fraunhofer ITWM have now made it possible to connect the energy community to various markets. The aim is to position the energy community as a flexible virtual power plant that is able to both supply and absorb energy.


Dynamic Electricity Prices on the Day-Ahead Market

Thanks to the technology of Fraunhofer ITWM, the Schoonschip community can take advantage of dynamic electricity prices. It is connected to the so-called day-ahead market, where hourly energy prices are negotiated one day in advance. Day-ahead prices can be highly volatile. This means that there may be phases with cheap and expensive prices. With sufficient flexibility and storage, price fluctuations can be used for the benefit of the energy community. This requires price-optimized control of battery storage systems and heat pumps. The Fraunhofer ITWM has developed such a price optimization for the energy community.

Flexibility Marketing on the Imbalance Market

The community also participates with its batteries in the Dutch imbalance market, where prices vary every quarter of an hour. For this purpose, a trader connected to the energy community decides every quarter of an hour whether there is a marketing opportunity on the imbalance market, sometimes for just a few minutes. The connection to the two energy and flexibility markets makes it possible to make even better use of the flexibility and capacities of the energy community.

The energy management system must always keep an eye on both activities: the local grid connection limits of the energy community, which must not be exceeded in any particular phase.

Vision for the Future: Access for All

»Our vision is for the technology to become accessible not only within the Schoonschip community, but also for private households and businesses. Anyone who has a photovoltaic system, battery storage or other flexibilities such as a heat pump and electric vehicle should be able to connect and actively participate in a wide variety of energy and flexibility markets, « says Matthias Klein-Schlößl, team leader of the »Green by IT« group at Fraunhofer ITWM.

With an intelligent energy management system that takes various energy and flexibility markets into account, it would also be possible to charge an electric car more cheaply, for example. The driver could specify at what time and with what range the vehicle is needed. The energy management system optimizes the charging process by charging the car either immediately or at a later time when prices are lower.


Presentation at e-world energy and water 2025

Our researchers are represented at e-World (hall 4, stand 4J112). They will show how they make predictions, implement optimizations and realize trading on different markets. »We are looking forward to getting in touch with innovative energy supply companies, integrators of energy management systems and interested parties who are interested in the joint development of sustainable energy concepts,« says Matthias Klein-Schlößl.

Neueste Nachrichten

Press Releases

E-world 2025 has started with record participation

980 exhibitors will be showcasing their innovations at Messe Essen until Thursday

Press Releases
Press Releases

E-world 2025: 980 Exhibitors Showcase the Future of Energy Supply

Europe’s Leading Energy Industry Trade Fair Sets New Exhibitor Record

Press Releases

E-world 2025 is Fully Booked: Record Space with Over 960 Exhibitors

Organizers open an additional hall for 2026 due to high demand

Newsletter

Register for the official E-world Newsletter and stay updated!