KEMA has partnered with Dutch energy research center ECN, advanced software company Humiq and utility Essent to create a living smart grid demonstration community. The “PowerMatching City,” located in Hoogkerk, the Netherlands, is the first microgrid project in Europe to integrate a full-scale operational smart residential community energy system. The community includes 25 interconnected residential homes equipped with micro-cogeneration units, hybrid heat pumps, PV solar panels, smart appliances and electric vehicles, and additional community-based power produced by a wind farm and a gas turbine.

The project, which went live March 10, 2010, is the culmination of a two-year planning, implementation, and residential technology and equipment installation process. The project seeks to develop a market model for a smart grid, creating an industry reference standard to help enable wide-scale smart grid implementation. In the live phase, research into the community members' energy use behavior will be undertaken to gain insight into the smart energy consumer. Data will be collected on how, how much and when electricity is used, and analyzed to explore consumer willingness to exchange comfort for flexibility based on financial incentives.

For more information, visit www.kema.com.