This summer has shown how vulnerable even well-established energy systems can be. Extreme heat and drought have affected nuclear power production across France, as low river levels restricted the cooling of several power plants. In August, 13 French nuclear reactors were affected by environmental constraints. This represents a loss of more than one-fifth of France's nuclear generation capacity, which normally accounts for about 70 percent of the country's electricity.
For businesses, events like these highlight a broader challenge: how can they remain operational in an unpredictable environment, where energy availability and costs are increasingly influenced by factors beyond their control? What if neighboring businesses could reduce this dependency by managing part of their energy system together? That is exactly what the Interreg NWE project GEMS (Green Energy Management for Business Parks) is exploring.
Why look at business parks?
Business parks account for more than 30% of energy use in North-West Europe. Yet many still lack the tools to manage and optimize their energy use. Across six pilot sites in five countries, partners are testing how Energy Management Systems (EMS) can help business parks coordinate local generation, consumption and storage, integrate more renewable energy and reduce pressure on the electricity grid, including a pilot in France.
Business parks are particularly interesting because companies operating next to each other can have very different energy profiles. “Business parks bring together companies operating in diverse sectors, with different energy needs, in a single area,” says Guillaume Guézélou, European project manager at regional development agency Bretagne Next and partner in GEMS.
Those differences can become an advantage. One company may generate surplus renewable electricity when another needs more energy. Others may be able to shift their consumption or make use of shared storage. An EMS can help identify and coordinate these opportunities.
Blackout
The French GEMS pilot is particularly interesting because its starting point differs from that of several other European pilots. France traditionally relies heavily on centralized nuclear power, which provides around 70% of its electricity. As a result, grid congestion has not been as pressing as in several other North-West European countries. However, the growth of solar and wind energy is changing the system. Electricity is now generated in more locations, creating a need for a grid that can manage and distribute these different energy flows.
Recent events, however, demonstrate that energy resilience remains relevant. For Brittany, resilience is particularly relevant, since it is located at the end of the national electricity grid and produces only around 30% of the electricity it consumes locally. “The region is less protected against the potential of a blackout,” Guézélou explains. Since 2010, the Regional Council has therefore supported the development of local energy communities.
Exploring hydrogen
The pilot in Brittany explores what hydrogen could add to such a local energy system. Together with technical partner EO Concept, the partners are demonstrating the economic viability of a small-scale hydrogen ecosystem based on energy sharing.
The ambition extends beyond the pilot. GEMS should help pave the way for a wider hydrogen ecosystem that can contribute to decarbonizing the maritime sector. “The success of our pilot will demonstrate that energy sharing is not only an opportunity for industrial companies but also makes sense for business parks dedicated to other sectors, such as fisheries. Eventually, we will support a local shipbuilding yard in producing hydrogen-powered engines.”
Different European perspectives
Working with partners across Europe has also changed Guézélou’s perspective. “Before joining the GEMS consortium, I didn’t know how important grid congestion was in other countries in the North Sea area. It really changed my view of local energy communities. I am now fully aware that local energy projects can have a strong impact on the resilience of local communities and on the energy grid as a whole.”
The knowledge gained through GEMS now also influences the advice he gives SMEs and energy stakeholders on project development and innovative energy solutions.
What can your business (park) learn?
For SMEs, energy is often a cost they have relatively little control over. Global energy prices fluctuate, grid infrastructure takes years to expand and an individual company has limited influence on either. Local cooperation offers another perspective. “Promoting the concept of local energy communities brings a new approach where neighboring businesses can team up and regain control. With energy costs that are more foreseeable, companies gain autonomy,” Guézélou explains.
Getting started does not necessarily mean investing in new technology. A first step is understanding the energy system already present on the park: when do companies consume or generate energy, where is flexibility available and which energy profiles complement each other? GEMS uses Digital Twins and six real-life pilots to answer these questions and translate the lessons into four EMS configurations that can be replicated by other mid-sized business parks across North-West Europe. With more than a year of GEMS still to go, the six pilots will continue to provide insights into what works in practice and under which circumstances.
As Guézélou puts it: "Innovation is not only about bringing a new product or technology to the market. GEMS showcases that local cooperation can be the answer: adapting already existing technology to a community instead of individual businesses is a way of fostering energetic independence for all."
Businesses cannot control the weather, global energy prices or when the electricity grid will be expanded. But by working together locally, they can gain more control over how energy is produced, shared and used – and become better prepared for whatever comes next.