Smarter energy sharing

Smarter energy sharing

Groothoff, B.

Simonse, L. (mentor)

Industrial Design Engineering

Product Innovation Management

2016-05-19

This thesis proposes a product-service-system for Lens-Energie bv. Lens is a Dutch company that provides solar panels to renters in apartment buildings. Their current product benefits from the current net-metering legislation in the Netherlands. Since its is expected that this legislation will be changed in the near future, a new product is required. The financial benefit of feeding electricity back into the grid will be significant lower under the expected new legislation. A future proof product or system allows these renters to use their own generated electricity rather than selling it back to the grid. The process consists out of four phases: Analysis, Ideation, Conceptualization & Implementation In the analysis phase, an internal analysis of the company and the market was performed. This showed that the current competitive position of Lens is strong but not sustainable because of the dependence on the net-metering legislation. An external analysis on technology showed how Demand Side Management can limit the share of generated energy that has to be fed back into the grid by using buffers and so-called timeshifters. These buffers include home battery systems, electrical vehicles and heat pumps, while the timeshifters include white goods like smart washing machines, dryers and dishwashers. A SWOT analysis showed how this leads to opportunities for Lens to build a product-service-system with demand side management. In the Ideation phase, four different conceptual product-technical-systems were designed: a battery system, a timeshifter system, a heat-pump system and an electric vehicle system. Besides their technical performance in buffering or time shifting, they were assessed on their business potential. This was done by a stakeholder analysis. In the stakeholder analysis, the needs and assets of the different network actors per product-technical-system were mapped and matched. This showed different synergies per product-technical-system. The synergies from the timeshifter system showed the highest business potential for Lens and was therefore selected for further development. A user study led to the desired interaction between the user and the system. This also showed the need for a central service provider. In the Conceptualization phase, the service and the business model of the PSS were designed. Service blueprints showed show how Lens and the other network actors need to collaborate to deliver the right service and user experience in challenging situations. The business model was subsequently designed along four characteristics: Network actors, Customer value proposition, Key processes and Profit formulas. This resulted in a comprehensive business model with four revenue streams: leasing PV-systems, leasing white goods, data sales and offering additional products and services. In the Implementation phase, the PSS was analyzed. The risks were identified and an implementation plan was developed. A stage gate model in this implementation plan limits the risk of costs getting out of control by providing clear go/no-go evaluation points in the development. The evaluation suggests that further implementation of the product-service-system can provide a sustainable competitive advantage for Lens.

smart-grid
demand side response
energy
internet of things
sustainability
solar power

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:00b6b378-9cbb-49e6-9379-efffa1664eeb

Student theses

master thesis

(c) 2016 Groothoff, B.