Th!nk E b.v.b.a. is a Belgian R&D company on the edge between research and application. Founded in 2011 as a private initiative, Th!nk E is now a steadily growing SME initiating various national and international innovation projects all in the area of energy in building, energy systems and smart grids. Th!nk E cooperates actively with the European industry and the international research community in multiple projects.
Furthermore, Th!nk E is a regular author and presenter of energy and research related topics for both the research community, governmental agencies, and industry as well as for a broad public. Th!nk E exploits a unique Living Lab: a building renovated to a grid-supporting net-zero energy concept with electric mobility included. Thermal and electrical storage technologies are presented and tested, different types of solar renewable energy systems are developed, evaluated and the overall building energy management system is optimized to maximize the solar fraction.
The building includes some of the latest building materials and technologies and it provides a perfect testing environment for new and upcoming technologies. It is being visited on a regular basis by e.g. DG ENER, Cogen, BPIE, etc. Th!nk E has been involved in different technology evaluation and improvement tracks: from solar thermal systems over ventilation concepts and products to insulation systems. Th!nk E applies the same critical technical view in composing large scale multi-stakeholder projects.
Th!nk E enjoys working in the broader European context. As technical coordinator of both the Smart Cities project City-Zen and the Smart Grids Project STORY, Th!nk E contributes to energy efficiency analysis and developments in Europe.
Furthermore, Th!nk E is active in the Bridge cooperation where over 30 European projects on Smart Grids and Energy Infrastructure demonstrate and evaluate best practices on innovative business models, products and services to the EU policy and regulation development level. Th!nk E is often in charge of the energy concept design of early-stage projects.
Whether a greenfield development towards an industrial zone or the energy transition of a private hospital, the main feedback we receive from clients is our unique potential to provide pragmatic solutions with an eye for practical implementation and respecting roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in line with (and sometimes using possibilities on the edges of) regulation. Th!nk E is part of the Smart Cities Information System (SCIS) team for DG ENER and has just co-delivered the revision of the TRL scales for renewable energy technologies for DG RTD.