Imagine an energy solution that's as intuitive as it is efficient. FACT-EVERGi is making energy smarter, more affordable, and truly sustainable. Their advanced technology allows businesses to adapt their energy consumption intelligently to the unpredictable nature of renewable supply. FACT-EVERGi helps organisations to optimise energy use without compromising comfort or continuity.
The challenge: Navigating an unpredictable energy landscape
The energy transition is in full swing, yet significant challenges persist. While businesses and households increasingly seek to embrace renewable energy, its supply remains as unpredictable as the weather and difficult to align with demand. Simultaneously, the energy grid faces immense strain from peak moments, driven by surges in solar and wind power generation and the growing consumption of users like electric vehicles. This requires intelligent, flexible solutions that can optimise energy production and consumption without sacrificing comfort or continuity.
The solution: Smart energy optimisation for businesses
That's where FACT-EVERGi comes in. As a research group within FACT (Flanders Alliance for Climate Technology, the VUB authoritative institute for climate technology), EVERGi develops technologies and models that empower businesses to intelligently adjust their energy consumption to the availability of renewable energy. FACT, an interdisciplinary VUB alliance, aims to develop and demonstrate leading climate technologies for a future carbon-neutral society, working alongside European, Belgian, and Flemish industry with 350 committed researchers.
By combining data-driven energy management with advanced optimisation algorithms and AI, FACT-EVERGi assists organisations in cutting costs, reducing CO₂ emissions, and future-proofing their energy infrastructure. Consider a cold storage company that strategically activates its cooling systems during periods of inexpensive solar energy, or an office building that leverages its battery and charging infrastructure to smooth out grid peaks. FACT-EVERGi transforms these strategies from theoretical models into tangible, impactful business cases that deliver proven results in practice.
From research to demonstration, forged by strong partnerships
FACT-EVERGi builds upon years of foundational research into energy management systems at VUB. Thanks to support from bodies such as VLAIO through ICON projects and the European Horizon Europe programme, this academic knowledge has been translated into practical methods for flexible energy steering, demand response, and local energy communities.
Subsequent funding from the Industrial Research Fund (IOF) of VUB facilitated the development of an initial Proof of Concept. This phase focused on devising scalable business models and valorisation strategies, meticulously tailored to the needs of industrial partners across diverse sectors.
The technologies were later rigorously validated at the VUB Living Lab within Researchpark Zellik (www.greenenergypark.be). This environment provided a secure and realistic setting to test energy steering strategies in interaction with infrastructure, users, and digital systems. For instance, the practical effectiveness of flexible control for charging stations, HVAC installations, and battery storage was thoroughly investigated.
The culmination of this journey is the implementation of FACT-EVERGi’s smart charging system at logistics company H.Essers' Winterslag site. There, the technology was deployed for the first time in a fully operational environment. The results unequivocally demonstrate a clear impact: by intelligently directing charging sessions across 30 charging points to periods of solar surplus from their own panels or low energy prices, and by levelling out consumption peaks, the electricity cost for charging was reduced by 9% in the first three months post-deployment. This real-life demonstration not only proves the technical maturity of the system but also underscores its substantial economic and ecological value for businesses. Thanks to the collaboration with H.Essers, FACT-EVERGi could validate its solution where it truly matters: in the field.
Ready for widespread application
FACT-EVERGi demonstrates that rigorous academic research, supported by partners like VLAIO, Horizon Europe, and the IOF, can evolve into innovative technology with direct societal and economic benefits. Its approach is scalable and applicable across various sectors – from logistics to real estate – serving as a crucial lever in the ongoing energy transition.
