A guide to orchestrate Smart Energy Hubs

Abstract

The global energy transition presents significant challenges for large consumers, particularly business owners on business parks. These challenges often exceed the capabilities of individual businesses, necessitating collective approaches such as Smart Energy Hubs (SEHs) that enable resource, cost, and expertise sharing. However, many SEH collaborations encounter difficulties in initiating or sustaining a network. This research project aims to identify barriers to collaboration and explore the mindset of actors involved in SEHs, seeking to understand their perceptions of risks and motivations to participate.
Through a comprehensive literature review, interviews with current SEH initiatives, and engagement with relevant experts, this research project provides valuable insights into the barriers and opportunities within SEH collaborations. It becomes evident that the formation phase of SEHs is particularly complex, requiring the involvement of diverse actors and roles. Business owners often have a negative mindset, emphasising risks rather than recognising the potential benefits of collaboration. The value proposition of SEHs is not always apparent to them, leading to a lack of enthusiasm for engagement. Furthermore, valuable learnings from existing SEHs are often not effectively shared, limiting the collective knowledge of the community and hindering progress.
To address these challenges, the Smart Energy Hub GPS guide is introduced. It aims to counteract the negative mindset of business owners by visually demonstrating the value of SEHs. It fosters learning through a knowledge-sharing infrastructure. The GPS guide effectively communicates the urgency of collaboration, emphasises the advantages of collective efforts in addressing energy challenges, and provides guidance for taking the initial steps in setting up SEH collaborations. By clarifying expectations and presenting the value proposition of SEHs, the GPS guide strives to enhance the willingness of business owners to actively participate in SEH initiatives.
This research project highlights the fundamental issues encountered during the formation stage of SEHs, hindering effective collaboration. It addresses the need for visual tools and knowledge-sharing networks to shift the mindset of business owners and foster effective and successful SEH collaborations. The proposed strategy for implementing the GPS guide offers a clear pathway to enhance collaboration, bridging the gap between energy challenges and effective collaborative solutions. Ultimately, this research underscores the significance of collaboration in driving the transition to a cleaner and more resilient energy future.