BiedOptimaal helps growers in the energy market.
Greenhouse horticulture requires a great deal of heat. In the process of generating this heat, many growers also produce electricity, which they can sell on the APX electricity market. The business of buying and selling energy is fascinating, but time-consuming or at least it was until now. CQM developed the intelligence behind the software tool BiedOptimaal specifically for energy specialist AgroEnergy, creating what is essentially "autopilot for your APX trading."
Forecasting and optimizing energy trading
AgroEnergy is the leading energy specialist for the Dutch agricultural sector and holds the top market position in greenhouse horticulture. The company helps growers achieve optimal results from their energy trading activities. Using the EnergyManager trading platform, growers can trade energy daily on the APX market the marketplace where electricity supply and demand meet and prices are determined. To do so, however, they must specify a day in advance and for every hour when, how much, and at what price they wish to offer electricity. Consequently, it is crucial to accurately forecast how much energy the greenhouse will need the following day and to determine the best times to generate that energy specifically when prices are most favorable. The energy trading game therefore revolves primarily around two elements: accurate forecasting and optimization. These are two areas in which CQM possesses extensive experience.
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CQM develops BiedOptimaal software tool
BiedOptimaal enables growers to meet their heat and CO2 requirements at the lowest possible cost, aiming for an optimal outcome over the coming four days. The system generates an APX bid for the following day, which is automatically uploaded to AgroEnergy’s energy portal. Growers can review the bid themselves or choose to let it proceed to the APX market without further intervention. AgroEnergy then processes the APX results and translates them into control signals to automatically switch the grower's installations on and off. This eliminates the need for growers to monitor short-term electricity prices and manage energy requirements on a daily basis; instead, they can rely on BiedOptimaal to generate a highly successful APX bid that aligns with their energy strategy.
“BiedOptimaal has been received with great enthusiasm by the growers because it truly relieves them of the burden. The tool is currently the jewel of our company.”
Fieke Rijkers Head of Product Development | AgroEnergy
Collaboration with CQM
Fieke Rijkers, Head of Product Development at AgroEnergy, was the one who decided to bring in an external party for the development of BiedOptimaal: ‘Initially, there were doubts about whether an external firm could possess sufficient knowledge of our specific market. CQM did not disappoint; they quickly grasped the essence of the challenges involved. BiedOptimaal has been received with great enthusiasm by growers because it truly relieves them of a burden. The tool is currently the jewel of our company.’ AgroEnergy product developer Loes Raijmakers is also very pleased with the collaboration with CQM: ‘What stood out most to me was their focus and flexibility. Very early on, CQM realized how sensitive the final outcome was to the results of the various sub-models including the forecasts for heat demand and price trends. This ensured that the right priorities were set.’
Making texts/images public and/or reproducing them is permitted only with the express consent of CQM.
Photo credits: CQM and BiedOptimaal.
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Would you like to know what forecasting and optimization can deliver for your organization? Then contact Arno van den Eijnden or Jacob Jan Paulus.
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