Increasing energy consumption with electrification and a higher degree of renewable energy sources creates a less stable energy supply and demand than we have traditionally had. This requires new tools to create more flexible energy consumption, local solar energy production and storage, and the need to test them in whole areas to provide this flexibility to both distribution and transmission grids.

Energy FlexLab Ørestad is an example of an innovative project making an entire city district available for large-scale testing of intelligent energy solutions through collaborative efforts among major businesses with large buildings. IBM Denmark and the energy utility company Andel Energi have joined forces to develop an intelligent data solution called The Flex Platform, which uses AI, IoT and blockchain technology to connect a hub of buildings and relevant electricity infrastructure that can leverage each other’s demand and supply to create a living lab.

Participating building owners include the supermarket chain Salling Group, Copenhagen Municipality and the telecom towers of TDC NET. By making their buildings available and coordinating energy usage, the companies can optimise, store and even produce renewable energy within existing infrastructures. This implementation will ensure a stable and secure power supply while simultaneously reducing CO2 emissions and generating additional benefits.

The project started in 2022 and is ongoing. The Flex Platform avoids brownouts and network constraints by activating flexibility and creating value from e.g. solar, batteries, ventilation, heat pumps, and EV chargers from both housing and companies for which they are compensated. The platform offers easy, plug-and-play integration with existing systems and a short return on the onboarding investment. The initiative reduces CO2e-emissions, grid congestion and the need for grid expansion, supports Denmark’s climate goals, and positions Ørestad as a global model for flexible energy.