Fyrbodal invests in flexibility to solve electricity grid bottlenecks

As demand for electricity and power increases and the expansion of electricity grids slows down, new ways of thinking are needed, not least to use the electricity infrastructure already in place in an efficient and smart way.

In the Fyrbodal region, efforts are underway to increase flexibility - to control when and how electricity is used - in order to meet current and future demands and to expand the electricity grids in the most socio-economic way possible as demand increases.

- "Flexibility is one of the keys to meeting the expected increase in electricity consumption, without getting stuck in slow and expensive grid investments," says Maria Aronsson, project manager at West Sweden Energy Agency, part of Innovatum Science Park. "By reducing power peaks and optimizing the use of electricity, we can use the capacity we have in a smarter way.

Collaboration for new solutions

The transition of industry, the electrification of the transport sector and the goal of zero climate-damaging emissions by 2050 are putting increasing pressure on the electricity system - not least in Västra Götaland, where the transition from fossil fuels to electricity means that electricity consumption is expected to triple by 2045. The Fyrbodal region is working to develop new forms of collaboration between energy companies, municipalities and academia to find practical solutions that can also be used elsewhere in the country.

Part of the work is underway in Trollhättan, where the municipal company Trollhättan Energi, in close cooperation with several parties, is investigating how it is possible to control when companies and businesses use electricity and thus even out and lower the power peaks in an industrial area without negatively affecting the companies and businesses. In Lysekil, the energy company LEVA in Lysekil has developed a model for planning which new possible businesses can be combined and use available resources, in this case residual heat. At the same time, flexible models are being developed that link the energy issue with community planning.

Project brings stakeholders together

Behind the work is the Fyrbodal for the Future Flex project, which runs until 2026 and brings together actors such as University West, Fyrbodal Municipal Association, Trollhättan Energi, LEVA in Lysekil, Kraftstaden Fastigheter and Innovatum Science Park.

- The project is as much about using new technical and digital solutions as it is about raising awareness and changing attitudes among companies and decision-makers. Giving them the tools to develop their business and thus society in the short term, without having to wait for an expansion of the electricity grid. Through collaboration and local adaptation, we can show how a flexible electricity system can actually work," says Christel Thuresson, energy and business strategist at Fyrbodals kommunalförbund.

The project is funded by the Swedish Energy Agency and focuses on disseminating experiences through workshops, seminars and collaboration with other regional and national initiatives. The goal is to contribute to an electricity system that is both sustainable, cost-effective - and ready for the demands of the future.

Read more about the project here: Fyrbodal for the future of flex