Optimizing electrical installations in an hospital site while creating a new revenue stream for them? Flexcity and UZ Brussel are engaged in these projects since 2014.
Emergency group
Valorized asset
mFRR (R3)
Service proposed by Flexcity
2014
Start of the partnership
UZ Brussel: a major Belgian hospital
UZ Brussel is one of the seven Belgian university hospitals and gathers different medical expertises (including treatment of patients, teaching and research).
To properly register hundred thousands of consultations and admissions yearly, UZ Brussel needs a reliable technical infrastructures and energy supply. Especially, hospital technical teams watch over the reliability of their electrical installations and how those could be better optimized.
Flexcity's solution
Flexcity has operated a site analysis of UZ Brussel Jette to identify the assets with a flexibility potential. This takes into account the technical constraints and priorities of the hospital, including the need to operate in any circumstances. According to the analysis, Flexcity proposed to valorize the emergency generators on site.
Emergency generators are often found in hospital sites because they enable them to operate even in case of electricity cuts. Service continuity is a critical requirement and emergency generators are primordial back-up installations.
However, it’s very rare in fact that the hospital sites use their emergency generators. That’s why Flexcity proposed to use their permanent availability and create new revenue streams for UZ Brussel.
The availability of the emergency generators is offered to support the national and European grid. In situations of power shortage, they are “activated” for few minutes to inject power into the grid. These activations only happen a few times in a year. Flexcity is in charge to ensure these activations and their good execution.
As a result, Flexcity remunerates UZ Brussel for its availability and real activations. UZ Brussel benefits from a supplementary remuneration and considers these activations as the ideal opportunity to test the well-functioning of the installation. The technical and commercial interests go hand in hand.
Flexcity has installed a smart control device, the Flexcity Box. This box enables the activation of the emergency generators within a few minutes and enables them to contribute to the tertiary reserve (also called mFRR) of the Belgian electricity system. In addition to the highly reliable technology, Flexcity’s expertise enables to gain a remuneration for the participation to this service.
Benefits
Thanks to the Flexcity’s solution, the benefits for UZ Brussel Jette are :
- Optimization of the emergency generators
- An ideal way to operate the required regular tests of the emergency generators.
- A new revenue stream
- Contribution to the energy transition and the inclusion of renewables
Flexcity continues to work with UZ Brussel to valorize the actual emergency generators and their other assets. Flexcity continues to work actively with their partners in order to reinforce their services.
