Wihlborgs invests in energy innovation in Lund
In November, Wihlborgs will start the expansion of a DC network between its own building Alfa 3–6 (Studentkåren 2) at Ideon and Blekingska nationen’s student housing. The project will be completed in partnership with the IT contractor Jonas Birgersson and aims to create an open, independent system for energy distribution and, in time, relief for the existing electricity grid as well as lower electricity prices.
The “Alpha project” is part of the joint initiative CoAction Lund, led by Lund municipality, with the objective of achieving a climate neutral Lund by 2030. CoAction was recently allocated funds from Vinnova as one of two pilot projects to be at the forefront nationally through spearheading projects in energy and mobility.
A battery will be built at the Wihlborgs property Alfa 3–6, and Blekingska nationen has a solar power system at its property. A DC cable will connect the buildings, making it possible to share energy between the battery and the solar power system. On weekdays during working hours, Wihlborgs’ properties require electricity while Blekingska’s student housing often produces more electricity than what is required in the student housing at any given time. Rather than selling the surplus to the electricity grid at a low or even negative price, the surplus is transferred to Alfa 3–6 and the battery is charged. In evenings or weekends, when energy requirements at Alfa 3–6 are low, electricity can be transferred from the battery to Blekingska.
The Alfa project is a prototype within the framework of Jonas Birgersson and his company ViaEuropa’s “Energy Society” initiative.
This principle is the same for the internet, meaning that robust communication between different nodes creates a dense network. Several other nearby properties could later be included in the energy partnership adding more units to the network and together providing a balance between power needs and a considerably more robust energy system compared with today.
A current deficit in the industry is that the energy data of different components does not speak the same language and that individual players are customising their own businesses and products. By creating an open protocol (Energy Protocol EP) for sharing energy, the dependency of individual suppliers is lessened and electricity prices can in time be lowered. This opportunity has only been possible since 1 January 2022 when an EU resolution permitted the sharing of electricity between properties.
- The installation in Lund will be the first in the world with an internet-based solution for energy distribution making it possible to install an unlimited amount of local energy resources since the traditional network is not negatively impacted. Energy communities like Alfa in Lund are, though their new federation SVEEG, an important part of long-term solutions for the energy challenge of today, says Jonas Birgersson.
- By now establishing an open system in which we own the information ourselves, we can decentralise electricity supply and stabilise and reduce energy prices in time. The solution is particularly interesting from an implementation and investor perspective as it can be scaled up without large, individual investments. The solution is robust and can be quickly implemented as a result, says Ulrika Hallengren, CEO of Wihlborgs.
Wihlborgs Fastigheter AB (publ)
Read more about CoAction Lund here.
Read more about Jonas Birgersson and Energy Society here and here.
For further information, please contact:
Ulrika Hallengren, CEO: +46 40 690 57 95
Jonas Birgersson, ViaEuropa, +46 70 515 27 62
Wihlborgs Fastigheter AB (publ) is a property company that focuses on commercial properties in the Öresund region. Its property portfolio is located in Malmö, Helsingborg, Lund and Copenhagen. In Malmö, Lund and Helsingborg, Wihlborgs is the leading property company. The book value of the company’s properties totals SEK 56.6 billion, representing an annual property rental value of SEK 4.3 billion. Wihlborgs’ shares are listed on the Large Cap List of Nasdaq Stockholm.
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