Industry: Energy / property Client: Property company with a portfolio, Gothenburg Service: Solution delivery and engineering Duration: 4 months Team: Multidisciplinary (local + international experts)
The challenge
A forward-looking property company managing 25+ commercial buildings wanted to explore building a virtual power plant (VPP) — connecting the energy systems of several buildings to participate in the Swedish frequency-regulation market. It would be the first of its kind in the Gothenburg region.
The client lacked:
- The technical expertise to assess whether a VPP was feasible
- An understanding of the frequency-regulation markets
- Return-on-investment forecasts and a business case
- A roadmap for adoption
They needed a comprehensive study to present to the board and potential investors.
Hisland’s approach
We assembled a multidisciplinary team following our Hybrid Bridge model:
- Local Hisland project manager: single point of contact, cultural bridge
- Systems expert: analysis and architecture design
- Energy-market specialist: assessment of revenue opportunities (remote, Denmark)
- Grid-integration expert: technical requirements (remote, Germany)
- Financial analyst: return-on-investment modelling (local partner)
This hybrid setup gave the client access to world-class expertise at a fraction of traditional consulting costs.
The solution delivered
Phase 1 — Baseline analysis: Reviewed the energy systems and consumption patterns of 25 buildings, assessed existing infrastructure and identified optimisation opportunities.
Phase 2 — Market analysis: Analysed the Swedish FCR-N and FCR-D frequency-regulation markets, produced revenue forecasts based on current market prices and mapped regulatory requirements and connection procedures.
Phase 3 — Technical design: VPP architecture connecting the buildings, sizing of energy storage (batteries), specification of control systems and an approach to grid integration.
Phase 4 — Business case: 10-year return-on-investment forecast, sensitivity analysis (different market-price scenarios), phased rollout with timeline, plus risk assessment and mitigations.
Results
- €2.3M in revenue potential identified over 10 years from frequency regulation
- €800,000 in additional savings from optimised energy management
- 30% more opportunities discovered than the client had initially estimated
- The pilot got the green light from the board based on our recommendations
- Payback period: 6.5 years (within an acceptable range)
- Positioned the client as an innovation leader in sustainable property
- Media coverage in the Swedish energy-industry press
Hisland didn’t just deliver a report — they became our strategic partners. Their ability to coordinate international experts while maintaining clear local communication was impressive. The return-on-investment forecasts were thorough and realistic and gave our board the confidence to proceed with the pilot. We are now moving toward adoption, and Hisland remains our technical advisor.
— Maria Bergström, Head of Sustainability, the property company
Technologies and methods: Energy management systems, frequency-regulation markets, battery storage, grid integration, financial modelling, systems architecture.