The Lean Energy Cluster is a Danish cleantech cluster established in 2006 focusing on energy efficiency and intelligent energy systems. It includes over 250 members and has a project portfolio of over DKK 450 million. The cluster provides services like collaborative platforms, export support, and facilitating innovation projects between triple helix stakeholders. Some example projects are developing electrically powered heavy vehicles and intelligent control systems for supermarket cooling. The cluster is working to develop Smart Energy Systems, which optimize energy supply, distribution, and demand across sectors through increased intelligence, integration, and planning. Key steps include the CITIES project analyzing integrated urban energy systems and developing underground pumped hydro storage as an energy storage solution for Denmark.

1. Lean Energy Cluster
Lean Energy Cluster
CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT AS A KEY DRIVER
FOR INNOVATION - THE DANISH MODEL
Presentation at Energy Storage Solutions for an Intelligent Future
Belfast, the 22th November 2013
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2. The Lean Energy Cluster
• A cleantech cluster driven by global societal
challanges
• Lean Energy Cluster utilizes the green transition to
create innovation, economic growth and job creation.
• Established in 2006 focusing on HVAC in the Region of
Southern Denmark.
• In 2010 the technology focus was extended to energy
efficiency and intelligent energy systems and the
cluster services became nation-wide.
• Today the cluster includes more than 250 dedicated
members and a project portfolio of over DKK 450 mill
(€60 mill).
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3. Technologies in the
field of energy efficiency
Buildings
HVAC
Lighting
Houshold appliances
Building shell
Transportation
Electricity
Bio energy
Energy efficiency
Energy systems
Electricity
Heating
Cooling
Gas
Water
Storage
Energy
production
Bio energy
Solar
Geothermal
Fuel cells
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4. The Lean Energy specialisation
Region
LQ
Lean Energy
business in DK
Southern
Denmark
2.30
48,0 %
Central
Denmark
1.33
30.3 %
Northern
Denmark
0.34
6.3 %
Capital Area
0.34
11.5 %
Zealand
0,32
3,9 %
Germany
Mittelfranken
2,31
Germany
Freiburg
2,14
Reg X 2012
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5. Services provided by Lean Energy Cluster
1. Delivering a collaborative platform
•
•
Skills development
•
1. Collaborative
platform
Knowledge sharing
Branding
2. System export
•
3. Innovation
projects
•
Developing export partnerships
•
2. System
export
Market research and understanding
Implementing export reference project
3. Innovation projects
•
•
Matching the triple helix stakeholders
•
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Idea and concept development
Facilitating the innovation proces

6. …some projects in Lean Energy Clusters
• Electrically powered heavy duty vehicles
Electrically powered heavy duty vehicles,
where accessories are powered by fully
electrical systems.
DKK 25, 2 mio.
• Intelligent control of cooling and freezing in
supermarkets
Utilisation of thermic capacity in food to
adjust the consumption of electricity in cooled
and refrigerated supermarket counters.
DKK 15, 3 mio.
12 partners, 2010-2012
5 partners, 2010-2013
• Intelligent district heating control
Demonstrate, test and adjust a newly
developed communication unit to monitor a
building's district heating consumption.
Control of units using web-based software.
3 partners, 2012-2013
DKK 1,8 mio.
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7. !
The Lean Energy Cluster
innovation platform on Smart
Energy Systems
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8. From Smart Grids to Smart Energy Systems
The Danish Framework
Challenges
•
Danish energy consumption has been
declining in a period of economical
growth.
•
How to enable the flexibility currently
provided by large amounts of stored
energy in fossil fuels.
•
The energy policy objectives strive for
independence from fossil fuels in
Denmark by 2050.
•
In scientific communities focus has been
on specific areas as electricity, district
heating, energy storage etc.
•
•
Development of cleantech is high on the
political agenda in order to fulfill the
energy ambitions.
•
•
Well-developed infrastructure for energy
systems, communication (fiber
broadband) and transport.
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Handling energy supply, distribution and
demand as a single system that can be
optimized.
•
Specialized core competences within the
cleantech industry.
•
The solution may be…
This is called a Smart Energy System.

9. Smart Energy Systems
Aalborg University (2012)
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10. …collaboration across sectors is needed!
•
The Smart Energy System consists of a wide range of energy
technologies and services to be integrated in order to provide
the flexibility needed in the system.
•
No company or group of companies can develop the Smart
Energy System.
•
Many stakeholders are involved (manufacturing companies,
ICT-providers, consulting engineers, universities, municipalities
etc.).
•
Clusters provide a neutral platform in which they develop
technologies and services of tomorrow.
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11. !
Steps towards the
Smart Energy System
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12. CITIES
- Centre for IT-Intelligent Energy Systems in Cities
Objectives of the project
•
Budget
DKK 73 mill (approx. €10 mill)
To harness the latent flexibility of the
energy systems through intelligence,
integration and planning focussing on
city environments
•
To develop methodologies and ICTsolutions for the analysis, operation
and development of fully integrated
urban energy systems
•
Partners
To develop decision support tools to
improve political framework
conditions for the Smart Energy
System
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13. Energy Membrane
- Underground Pumped Hydro Storage (PHS)
•
A pantented idea for storing electrical
energy based on the well-known pump
storage principle.
•
Countries like Denmark have only few
hilly areas suitable or available for PHS
systems.
•
In a membrane water is enclosed i
placed underground with 25 meters of
soil on top. The overlaying soil gives the
necessary pressure to run a compined
pump and turbine and store large
amount of electrical energy .
•
A demonstration project (50x50m) has
been tested, and planning of pilot plant
project (200x200m) is underway.
Horizon2020 will be applied.
GO Development (2013)
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14. Thank you for your attention!
Christian Boysen
Senior Project Manger
Email: cb@leanenergy.dk
Lean Energy Cluster
Web: www.leanenergy.dk
Alsion 2, DK-6400 Sønderborg
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