The company, which receives an innovation budget of €60,000 ($62,000), will now further develop its concept and apply it in a pilot.
The challenge was focused on addressing the seasonal green gas problem, which occurs during the summer months when more green gas can be produced than is consumed. As a result, producers are left with a surplus and they are limited in their production.
In addition, the use of the gas and thus its sustainability at this time also is limited.
Powercrumbs’ solution is a virtual pipeline between the producer and construction sites. They do this by storing the surplus of green gas at the producer under high pressure in mobile storage containers. These containers are then transported by trucks to construction projects in the area.
There, the green gas is used as a sustainable fuel for aggregates, also providing environmental benefits through low emissions of nitrogen, particulate matter and greenhouse gases.
Rolf van der Velde, member of the expert team at Alliander, describes Powercrumbs’ innovation as “very interesting” and with the surpluses of green gas used in a market where they provide a lot of added value.
“Due to the electrification of construction equipment, there is an increasing need for electrical power on construction sites. That power cannot always be supplied by the electricity grid. Due to the use of aggregates, the work can continue. And with the use of green gas, this can be done in a sustainable way. So the knife cuts both ways.”
Pieter Mans, CEO of Powercrumbs, says the company was started to solve challenges like this.
“We are looking for solutions for the use of residual flows of energy, which are in danger of being lost in the current system,” he says.
He adds that Powercrumbs has also tested and applied the solution for biogas at water boards, which face a surplus created from sewage waste during the winter months.
“Our ultimate goal is to combine the surpluses of green gas and biogas in one system. This interaction allows us to supply sustainable fuel to construction projects all year round.”
Green gas is a sustainable alternative to natural gas and therefore is considered to have an important role in the energy transition. In the Netherlands, approximately 200 million m3 of green gas are imported into the existing natural gas network annually. By 2030 the production needs to be increased 10-fold to 2 billion m3 of green gas.
