The COPPER project participated at the Cleantech Venture Day in Amsterdam on the 2nd April 2025, an event for driving innovation in the clean energy sector through novel cleantech solution. COPPER hosted two workshops - on Virtual Power Plants and local grid technology, highlighting the role of integrating novel cleantech solutions into city energy planning.
Workshop on Virtual Power Plants and Grid Flexibility
This roundtable, titled "Exploring the role VPPs and wider grid flexibility technologies can play in the next phases of grid decarbonisation," was a collaborative initiative by Cambridge Consultants in partnership with The Climate Tech SuperCluster. The session brought together industry experts and leaders for a discussion on the role of Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) in accelerating grid decarbonisation.
Henrik Näsström, from COPPER partner Varberg Energi, participated in the roundtable, presenting his work on Natflex, a city-wide virtual power plant with a planned 85MW of flexible assets.
The dialogue encompassed both the policy frameworks necessary to facilitate VPP adoption and the technical advancements required for their integration into existing grid infrastructure. Participants explored how VPPs can aggregate distributed energy resources, such as renewable generation and battery storage, to provide grid services, enhance system resilience, and contribute to a cleaner energy future. The insights garnered from this roundtable will be instrumental in shaping COPPER's efforts to include grid flexibility into Local Energy Action Plans.
Case Study Spotlight: Varberg's City-Wide Virtual Power Plant
A prime example of COPPER's work in action is the work of Varberg Energi in Sweden. With COPPER funding, Varberg Energi is piloting an 85 MW virtual power plant called Nätflex. This initiative aims to balance renewable loads for a town of 35,000 residents and provide income to energy customers offering flexibility services.
Working with cleantech provider FerroAmp, Varberg Energi's Nätflex system allows private energy customers to connect their assets to the local grid via an app. This enables them to earn income by storing and dispatching energy as needed, contributing to a healthy local grid. The project's objectives include preparing a city-wide VPP, enabling citizen participation in flexibility incentives, and developing new ways of working between DSOs and cities. This case study demonstrates COPPER's practical application of VPPs and citizen engagement in the energy transition.
Workshop on Decentralised Energy & Dynamic Storage
COPPER facilitated an interactive workshop focused on the challenge question: "How might we leverage stadium-scale energy innovations to create decentralised, resilient energy systems for urban districts?"
Moderated by Sam Goodall from COPPER partner Cleantech International, this session convened experts and leaders to explore strategies for clean energy hubs.
A key aspect of the discussion revolved around how the model established by the JC Arena, an example of stadium-scale energy innovation, can be extended to inform the next phase of urban development within its district and serve as an inspiration for other cities. The workshop underscored the importance of dynamic storage solutions and decentralised energy approaches in constructing sustainable energy infrastructures capable of meeting future demands of local energy economies.
Integrating new technologies into local energy planning
By facilitating discussions and fostering collaboration on topics such as VPPs, grid flexibility, and the development of decentralised urban energy systems, COPPER aims to show how cities can use new local energy technologies to develop their own local energy economies, delivered through local energy action plans with competitiveness and affordability as prioritiies.