Alkmaar’s Flagship-valley: renewable energy hub in major EU program
Horizon Europe project REFORMERS’ kicks-off to support large energy valleys in Europe, where renewable energy is produced and consumed locally by citizens and light industries.
The Alderman of the Municipality of Alkmaar, Christian Schouten, welcomed the representatives of 28 partners from 10 countries in Alkmaar on the 22nd of November. Alkmaar will be the project’s first so-called ‘Renewable Energy Valley’ and will serve as an example for subsequent energy valley’s to be developed throughout Europe. The REFORMERS project has a duration of 5 years and a scope of 50 million euros. New Energy Coalition is coordinator of the ‘Flagship Valley’ Alkmaar .
Flagship Valley Alkmaar
Europe’s first Renewable Energy Valley is a defined area between Alkmaar and Heiloo. This Flagship Valley of the project consists of business park Boekelermeer, bordered on the north side by a densely populated residential area, a light residential area on the west side, a light industrial area in Heiloo and an agricultural area on the east side. At the end of the project, the area will be self-sufficient in the production and consumption of its own energy needs through renewable energy.
The REFORMERS’ Flagship Valley is characterized by the presence of an existing natural gas infrastructure, a bio-energy plant and an ideal position of Energy Innovation Park Alkmaar to foster renewable energy innovations in the field of green molecules (gases). The Flagship Valley will:
- Demonstrate renewable energy production technologies
- Convert, store and distribute renewable energy carriers such as biomethane, electricity, hydrogen and heat
replace the use of fossil fuels for end users - Monitor, optimize and control energy flows
- Incorporate financial, legal and social dimensions
- Contribute to Alkmaar’s overall mission of using 100% renewable energy by 2050
The development, realization and deployment of Renewable Energy Valleys in the REFORMERS project should increase energy security and accelerate the green transition in Europe. In doing so, it should contribute to the REPowerEU goals of increasing green energy production, diversifying energy supply and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Based on the experiences from the Flagship Valley in Alkmaar, the subsequent ‘ energy valleys’ will apply ‘best practices’ for creating their own Renewable Energy Valleys.
About REFORMERS
REFORMERS (Regional Ecosystems FOR Multiple Energy Resilient Systems).
The Horizon Europe project REFORMERS is an innovation program to support large energy hubs (‘energy valleys’) in Europe, where renewable energy is produced and consumed locally by citizens, light industry and businesses. REFORMERS has a duration of 5 years, a total size of 50 million Euro of which 20 million Euro comes from the Horizon Europe program.
Project partners:
AIT, Sustainable Heiloo, CERTH, CIRCE, KONIN-MIASTO, DDS, EUREC, NAPE, RISE, TNO, Deep Blue, Municipality of Andorra (S), TU Delft, Municipality of Kozani (GR), Municipality of Murau (O), Alliander, Municipality of Alkmaar, HVC, Hynoca Alkmaar, InVesta, Sustenso Boekelermeer, Repowered, Withthegrid, NXT MOBILITY, STOFF2, EMPA, VU Brussels (Project Coordinator) and New Energy Coalition (Flagship Valley Coordinator).
The project is receiving funding from the European research and innovation program Horizon Europe under Grant Agreement number 101136211.
