Several buildings at Brattøra and Sluppen in Trondheim are linked together in a local electricity market. The goal is to make maximum use of the energy they produce themselves, like the solar cells on the Powerhouse – one of the world’s most environmentally friendly buildings. Powerhouse Trondheim Located at Brattøra, right by Trondheim central station. Is 18,000 square meters large. Has a facade with 3,000 square meters of solar cells. Provides energy to nearby buildings and infrastructure. It cost NOK 523 million to build. Has nine floors. Ordinary office buildings built today use 150 kilowatt hours per square meter per year. Powerhouse uses 28 kilowatt hours per square meter per year. – We have shown that we have succeeded, because in the two districts the buildings now produce more energy than they themselves consume in the course of a year. That’s what Klaus Livik, advisor in Trondheim municipality in the Positive CityxChange project, says. – If a building produces too much, they sell the surplus to the neighboring building, to a bus charger or to charge a battery. The Pirsenteret and Rockheim are included. The same is true of the BI Campus, the cold storage at the harbor, the bus charger for AtB and the heating cables on the footbridge over the railway. All units are connected to a large common battery storage. That way, they can utilize free capacity without burdening the power grid. Bernhard Kvaal, project manager at Aneo, believes the market model they have developed to exchange electricity locally is completely unique. Photo: Grete Thobroe / news New market platform – We have developed computer software and built a market platform that makes this happen completely by itself. The system constantly tries to optimize the use of energy that is produced and consumed locally. That’s what Bernhard Kvaal, project manager at Aneo, says. He has had a central role in the development and testing of new technology in this large EU project Positive CityxChange. – We have built a local market that plays on a team with the large electricity market that everyone trades in. This has not happened before. Trondheim municipality has ambitions to become a so-called plus city. This means that the city produces more renewable energy than it consumes. Illustration: Øivind Olsson / news Lighthouse City Trondheim and Limerick in Ireland were chosen in 2018 to be so-called lighthouse cities, which were to develop and test green energy solutions for the future. 33 actors from ten countries have taken part in the project, which is led by NTNU. Morten Wolden is municipal director in Trondheim. Photo: Øivind Olsson / news Trondheim municipality has worked closely with the business community, and the results were recently presented at a major energy conference. – It is clear that we are proud of what has been created. That’s what municipality director Morten Wolden says in Trondheim. And the municipality has ambitions. The goal is for Trondheim to eventually use less electricity than it produces, and the new solutions that have now been tested in two districts show that it is possible. The energy solutions that have been developed through the EU project Positive CityxChange were presented at the ongoing energy conference in Trondheim. Photo: Øivind Olsson / news Important role internationally – This has happened because we have knowledge environments and technology companies with the guts to succeed. We believe that we can also play an important role internationally. The project has received a dispensation from the authorities to be allowed to sell electricity locally between buildings. – Are you now demanding plus houses or the use of solar cells from builders in the city? – We have set demands for energy solutions and climate emissions, but I think both the state and the municipality must be clearer in their requirements for developers in the future. Project manager Bernhard Kvaal at Aneo agrees with that. – All new buildings should have solar cells on the roof. It should have been required by law, according to Kvaal. – This is how it is in Belgium, and we can also put solar cells on old roofs. We can operate with energy savings. We have to do everything at the same time if we are to reach the goals in 2030, which Norway is required to do according to the Paris Agreement. Warehouse 11 at Sluppen has become a cultural arena in the district, with its restaurants. They get their electricity from the solar cells on the roof. Photo: Bennet Cultural arena using solar energy At Sluppen, property developer R. Kjeldsberg has installed solar cells on an old warehouse building, which has now been converted into a cultural arena with restaurants, bouldering hall and climbing tower. A total of five buildings, including the two modern business buildings Stålgården and Lysgården, sell and buy electricity between them. Electric cars in a car sharing solution are also included. – We have invested a lot in this ourselves, but it is not a store. That’s what Morten Forbord, property manager at R. Kjeldsberg, says. – We do this a lot to learn. We believe that such solutions will be necessary in the future in order not to strain the electricity grid. Forbord says the support they received through the EU project has meant a lot. – We have received a lot of help and new ideas from the partners in the project, which we take with us here at Sluppen to make the district greener. Old buildings, such as here at Sluppen in Trondheim, can also be renewed and become plus houses when they get solar cells on the roof. Photo: John Arne Tømmervold/Trondheim municipality
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Trondheim is at the forefront in Europe in creating green urban environments – news Trøndelag – Local news, TV and radio
