Europe’s energy supply is changing rapidly. With the REPowerEU plan, the EU aims to drastically reduce its dependence on fossil fuels by 2030. The REFORMERS project demonstrates how this can be achieved in practice: by building regional energy systems that generate, store, and share energy locally and manage it intelligently. Repowered is helping to make this a reality.
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REFORMERSstands for Regional Ecosystems FOR Multiple-Energy Resilient Systems. It is a large-scale European innovation project that investigates how regional energy systems can become fully sustainable and self-sufficient.
Within so-called Renewable Energy Valleys, electricity, heat, hydrogen, and biogas are generated, stored, converted, and used intelligently at the local level. The first and most important pilot site (the Flagship Valley) is located in the Boekelermeer near Alkmaar. Here, companies, research institutions, municipalities, and residents are collaborating on an energy system that can be 100% renewable and self-sufficient.
The project focuses on:
Upon completion, REFORMERS will provide a replication toolbox and blueprint that other regions can use to develop their own Renewable Energy Valleys (Replication Valleys).
REFORMERS is coordinated by the New Energy Coalition and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, with support from the European Commission through Horizon Europe (grant agreement No. 101136211).
In addition to Repowered, the consortium includes 27 partners from 10 countries, including TNO, TU Delft, Alliander, Withthegrid, HVC, the Municipality of Alkmaar, CIRCE, and CERTH.
Together, the partners are working on five pillars:
Smart management of the energy system
Within REFORMERS, Repowered plays a central role inPillar 4:Monitoring, Optimization & Management. In this work package, the energy system in Flagship Valley is continuously monitored, optimized, and controlled to ensure that local generation, storage, and consumption are perfectly aligned.
This initiative aims to reduce energy consumption, better align supply and demand, and increase self-sufficiency, while easing the strain on the overloaded power grid.
Repowered is leading Task 4.3 within Pillar 4 –Implementation and Operation. In this task, we focus on modeling, testing, and operational control of the energy system. To achieve this, we developed ourOptima algorithm. Optima collects data from local energy assets and controls them in real time based on:
Optima integrates with other technologies within the project, such as WiththeGrid’s Teleport (Pro) Gateways for local monitoring and control, Alliander’s ENTRNCE for local energy trading and congestion information, and TenneT for balance and market data. Together, these systems form an intelligent Virtual Power Plant (iVPP): a digital, self-managing network that ensures optimal utilization of renewable energy and reduces the load on the power grid.
Minimize CO₂ emissions and reduce energy costs by optimizing across various energy markets.
At Repowered, the REFORMERS project is a cross-
collaboration involving multiple teams.
Together, we will ensure that the Optima environment in Alkmaar is fully operational and integrated with all relevant assets and market systems.
“The REFORMERS project is complex and constantly evolving, but the Repowered team remains flexible, solution-oriented, and always focused on collaboration.” – Bridget Sandbothe
Pictured from left to right: Alfred Rodenboog (Senior Data Scientist), Lucas Velvis (Data Scientist), Bridget Sandbothe (Smart Energy Consultant), Robin Hermes (Tech Lead), Jan Eise Fokkema (Senior Data Scientist), and not pictured: Matthias Drijfhout (Data Scientist)
“Repowered combines market knowledge with science: we translate the latest insights into smart control systems into innovative, practical solutions for projects like REFORMERS.”
The REFORMERS project is still in full swing, but we have already made significant progress.
The biggest milestone
is the development of Optima. Thanks to our research, we now have a better understanding of which optimization approach works for complex energy systems.
Flagship Valley
Preparations for large-scale testing are in full swing in Alkmaar. A 2 MWh battery has been installed at InVesta and, along with other assets, is being managed by Repowered.
Other partners
At the same time, our project partners are making progress on other work packages. You can find an overview of thesehere.
After 2027, the energy system in Flagship Valley will remain active and continue to evolve. Our goal is to further expand Optima and the iVPP architecture to integrate new assets and applications. The knowledge and tools we have gained—including the Energy Valley Toolbox and methods for governance and business models—serve as a blueprint for other European regions looking to establish their own Renewable Energy Valley.
In the long term, too, the system helps reduce grid congestion, better align energy demand, and enhance local energy security. In this way, Flagship Valley demonstrates how smart technology, collaboration, and data can work together to create a low-carbon, future-proof energy region.
This creates a sustainable and scalable energy system that not only serves the Alkmaar region but can also serve as a model for all of Europe.
“It’s clear: multi-asset optimization is the future of the energy transition. We’re building systems that intelligently manage diversity in assets, technologies, and strategies.”
Last updated on October 16, 2025
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