The new tenants of Brainport Industries Campus Cluster 2 in Eindhoven are guaranteed energy supply. BIC Utility BV, in collaboration with
SDK Vastgoed, has devised a solution that makes smart use of the available grid capacity in response to network congestion.
The energy concept for Brainport Industries Campus currently provides the approximately fifty tenants of cluster 1 with electricity, heating, cooling, process cooling, compressed air, and demineralized water through smart congestion management: matching supply and demand via energy management and monitoring. Construction of BIC Cluster 2—a development by SDK Vastgoed next to Eindhoven Airport—is scheduled to start in 2026.
BIC Utility is developing the energy concept for cluster 2. A Letter of Intent (LOI) has been signed with SDK Vastgoed for this purpose. The concept builds on the system used in cluster 1, in which the available grid capacity is used intelligently in collaboration with Enexis. “The connection of cluster 2 fits within the schedule as discussed with Enexis,” says Ruud Vleugels.
On behalf of Equans, he manages BIC Utility, which has two shareholders: the Brabant Development Agency (BOM) and Equans. All work for BIC, such as drawing up the energy concept, congestion management, and energy procurement, is carried out by Equans. Equans realizes sustainable energy generation, including thermal energy storage (TES), heat pumps, around 6,600 solar panels on the roof of Brainport Industries Campus, and security of supply.
BIC-Utility has supply contracts with the tenants and supplies all energy on a pay-per-use basis. BIC tenants only pay for the energy they use. The supply contracts therefore also guarantee security of supply. This means that all energy will be supplied under all circumstances. “Equans is responsible for the supply. This promise is laid down in the contracts. Equans takes care of uptime – always,” explains Ruud Vleugels.
With 225,000 square meters, BIC’s second cluster will be three times the size of cluster 1. The campus is home to high-quality manufacturing industry. The mostly specialized and fast-growing high-tech companies share not only the roof but also the facilities. Brainport Industries Campus is the fastest-growing campus in the Netherlands and acquired national importance status within five years of its opening in 2019. Due to its geopolitical and strategic competitive position and the guarantee of employment, the municipality of Eindhoven acquired ownership of cluster 1 this spring.
SDK Vastgoed has once again pushed the boundaries with regard to the possibilities for the second cluster, explains director Niels Dusee. “In terms of infrastructure, we offer continuity when it comes to power supply, which is a unique selling point in itself. We are continuing to roll out innovation programs in collaboration with the Campus Development Organization, in which SDK Vastgoed is represented alongside the province of Brabant and the municipality of Eindhoven. Together, we are ensuring that we are ready for new developments in high-quality manufacturing technology and the associated growth or influx of new companies. BIC Cluster 2 is ready for the market; all the conditions for companies to be successful are in place.