Across Europe, industrial areas are facing an increasingly urgent challenge: grid congestion. As renewable energy generation expands and the electrification of transport and production accelerates, local networks struggle to handle the rising demand. For many businesses, this has become a barrier to growth and sustainability.
At Laarberg Business Park in Groenlo, the Netherlands, companies and regional partners decided to take matters into their own hands. Rather than waiting for large-scale grid upgrades, they are developing practical, cooperative solutions that ensure energy remains available, affordable, and sustainable.
“Expanding the grid takes years and major investment,” explains Jeroen Mol, Energy Project Leader at Laarberg. “By working together locally, we can take immediate action and give businesses more control over their energy supply.”
Collaborative Solutions for a Shared Challenge
The business park has introduced a series of innovative measures that make better use of local renewable power and relieve pressure on the national grid. Private direct lines allow electricity generated by solar installations on the site to be delivered straight to nearby companies, avoiding grid congestion and reducing costs. Some businesses share one grid connection through so-called cable pooling, which is particularly efficient when their energy use peaks at different times of the day.
Another step forward is the creation of a closed distribution system (GDS), where companies manage a local network together, effectively becoming their own energy operator. This model offers greater independence and flexibility, while also encouraging cooperation between neighbours. Other arrangements, such as group transport agreements and flexible grid contracts, provide additional opportunities to use the existing energy infrastructure more intelligently.
These local initiatives give companies more certainty, reduce their dependency on external grid operators, and make it possible to grow sustainably despite limited national capacity.
Laarberg as a GEMS pilot site
Laarberg’s proactive approach has now been elevated to the European stage through its participation in GEMS: Green Energy Management Systems for Business Parks, an Interreg North-West Europe project led by Oost NL and co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The project supports business parks in five countries: the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France and Ireland, in developing and implementing smart energy management systems that optimise local renewable energy use.
Within GEMS, Laarberg is transforming into a Smart Energy Hub, a living lab where companies work together to balance production, storage, and consumption of green energy. The pilot will introduce an advanced Energy Management System (EMS) that helps participating businesses monitor their energy use, store surplus solar power, and coordinate energy flows to prevent overload on the grid.
More than five companies have already joined the pilot, with additional partners preparing to follow. The University of Twente contributes scientific expertise on digital modelling and smart control systems, helping to translate data into practical energy insights. “The Laarberg pilot builds on over ten years of groundwork and collaboration,” says Joost Okkema, who has been instrumental in developing the park’s energy vision. “With GEMS, we connect our local achievements to a European effort that accelerates the green transition.”
From local innovation to european impact
The GEMS project demonstrates how regional cooperation can strengthen Europe’s competitiveness and sustainability at the same time. By linking real-life pilot sites like Laarberg to a network of partners across North-West Europe, the project ensures that local innovations can be shared, replicated, and scaled. A dedicated training and knowledge programme will further support business park managers and entrepreneurs in applying the lessons learned.
What is happening at Laarberg is more than a local success story. It is a model for Europe’s smart and just energy transition, showing that collaboration, innovation, and regional initiative can overcome one of the biggest challenges of the energy transition.
“By joining forces, businesses at Laarberg are showing what’s possible when you take ownership of your energy future,” concludes Jeroen Mol. “Together, we are not only solving today’s energy problems, but building the foundation for a resilient and sustainable Europe.”