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Pilote site

A pilot site for applied research into optimised neighbourhood management

The Marly Innovation Centre (MIC), the Ancienne Papeterie eco-neighbourhood and the Bel-Air neighbourhood, located in the municipality of Marly (Fribourg), were chosen as the pilot site for the Smart Energy District project, in particular for their potential in terms of local renewable energy production and consumption.

This pilot site consists of three parts:

  1. Bel-Air neighbourhood (main type of housing: detached houses),

  2. Ancienne Papeterie eco-neighbourhood (under development, collective housing), and

  3. MIC industrial and commercial zone, which includes laboratories, offices, production facilities and warehouses, spread over 70,000 m² of rental space.

Applications in different areas (electrical energy and thermal energy)

  • Analysis of energy demand and production management

  • Estimation of the value of energy flexibility services to optimise the potential to respond to actual energy needs (grid stability and management)

  • Assessment of technical system integration

  • Role and management of stakeholders with their respective business models

Infrastructure

The neighbourhood's extensive infrastructure facilitates the rapid implementation of energy control and demand response measures that do not require new construction.

Existing facilities, which include photovoltaic (PV) systems, heat pumps (HP) and interconnected thermal networks, offer considerable potential for integrating electrical systems and improving grid stability through the flexibility of the thermal network.

Site characteristics

Main specifications of pilot site 1

Site technical data sheetDescription
PV capacity already installed
  • 2'280 kWc (MIC : 1'830 kWc – Neighbourhood Bel-Air : 450 kWc)
  • Estimated annual electricity production : ≈ 900 MWh/year
Electricity generation and consumption
  • Estimated maximum electricity production : 2'500 MWh/year
  • Total electricity consumption :
    • MIC ≈ 3'800 MWh/year
    • Neighbourhood Bel-Air : 1'400 MWh/year (add ≈ 4'700 MWh/year for heat pumps)
Site occupancy
  • More than 2’600 people
  • More tha 200 buildings
Thermal installations
  • 4 MW → 6MW (District network with HP)
  • Neighbourhood Bel-Air : ≈ 31 HPs, estimated from 0.2 to 0.3 MW
Heat distribution
  • Heating and domestic hot water
  • 65°C for domestic hot water in the eco-village
  • 85°C for the industrial site
  • Cooling: cooling required for certain industrial processes
  • Planned extension of district heating networks
Site area
  • 80'000 m2 (roof area): public data from the Swiss Confederation's artificialisation register
  • 145'000 m2 : heating demand with an energy reference area

 Data source: OFEN's geodata; MADD RegBL, swiss topo; Groupe E (manager of the pilot site's distribution networks).