Even if the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow, like this week, houses will need sustainable energy in the future. Not only at night when it is dark, but also in winter, when the energy demand is high because all houses have to be heated. That is why TU Delft is opening a so-called energy lab today. This 24/7 Energy Lab, as it is formally called, fits in with the intention of Delft University to pay more attention to the energy transition.
The climate problem is urgent, says Rector Tim van der Hagen, which is why a lot of research is needed into all the different CO2-free options. The technologies of the future are being tested in a number of specially built houses on the university grounds. The energy lab aims to accelerate the energy transition.
In the Netherlands, 35 percent of all energy is used in the built environment. Solar panels and wind turbines are making these increasingly sustainable, but removing houses from natural gas is more difficult than expected. All green energy also overloads the electricity grid.
Village on campus
“That is why a neighborhood with a local energy system, without CO2 emissions and without burdening the national electricity grid is so important,” says Marjan Kreijns, director of The Green Village, the village on campus. Twelve people live in the eight different houses on the university grounds. “Because not only the technology is important, but also the experiences of residents. If they don’t like using new techniques, we go back to the drawing board.”
One of the residents is Ben Neuteboom, a police officer in daily life. “Yeah, I know I’m a guinea pig,” he says. “When the settings are tinkered with, for example, the shower water can become cold for a while. But on the other hand, you are the first to see these kinds of new things. I can test whether it all works well and whether it remains a nice and comfortable house in the meantime .”
The Green Village has been around for a while. Researchers are constantly testing new techniques together with companies to see how they work out in daily practice. What is new is the construction of a local energy system, which also uses hydrogen. If energy is generated and used locally, energy storage is necessary. Because the sun and wind cannot generate sufficient sustainable electricity all year round.
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