Smart Stories - Game on...and off...and on again

The Amsterdam ArenA is one of the world’s leading stadiums for sports matches and events. It’s also a living lab enabling rapid development, testing and demonstration of smart applications and solutions. The Amsterdam ArenA set up a company called Amsterdam Energy Arena BV to achieve “zero emission events”. This company developed and implemented an Energy Storage System (ESS) in the stadium that uses ‘second life’ batteries of Nissan Leaf cars.

The ArenA is very familiar with the fluctuating energy supply and demand. Their energy demand peaks considerably during a soccer match or an event but the 4.200 solar panels on the roof are not always generating energy at that exact moment. The energy supply needs to be stored for later use. The ESS is a robust and a powerful solution for high energy consumption organizations to power their business in a smarter way. The ESS can also function as a back-up generator during events, replacing the existing diesel generators.

The ESS is unique. For the first time, different applications are bundled into one system. Currently, all ESS systems are single purpose applications either focusing on building support or grid services.

The Amsterdam Energy ArenA system will address several applications:

Back-up power for events aiming to replace the existing diesel generators.
Primary control reserve as grid service towards the grid operator.
Peak shaving occasional exceptional peaks during events to reduce the yearly grid connection fees.

The system designed for the Amsterdam ArenA will be the largest Energy Storage System powered by second-life batteries used by a commercial business in Europe. It has 3 Megawatts of power and 2,8 Megawatts of storage capacity. The realization and integration phase have started, the ESS will be operational by the end of Q2, 2018.

Results

Next step

AKEF, ArenA, BAM and The Mobility House established a company called Amsterdam Energy Arena BV that, besides being the owner and responsible for the operation of the ESS, will focus on new Energy Storage System Projects. Services provided are, amongst others, Business Planning, Solution Design, ESS Sourcing, Financing and Realization.

Want to know more?

Check out the Amsterdam Innovation Arena for more projects by the Amsterdam ArenA.

Contact

Maurits van Hövell
M.van.Hovell@amsterdamarena.nl

"We're talking about a huge advantage in sustainability. A great innovation – in the future, the Amsterdam ArenA will be the first stadium in the world that won’t be using fossil fuels anymore."
Henk Markerink
CEO of the Amsterdam ArenA

Partners involved in this project:

Shareholders
AKEF / ArenA / BAM / The Mobility House

Private Partners
Nissan / Eaton

Public Partners
City of Amsterdam / Interreg

Images:

Amsterdam ArenA / Flickr Creative Commons