RESHUB Project – Setting up a network of self-sufficient energy hubs for defence (military bases and barracks) and civil (disaster relief and other crisis situations) purposes

In the framework of the RESHUB project – Defence RESilience HUB Network in Europe – the Slovenian Ministry of Defence (Si MoD) is setting up a network of self-sufficient energy hubs in Slovenia. The Ministry is also the holder of the initiative to create similar hubs in the EU.

The network of hubs comprises renewable energy sources, energy conversion and the storage of energy in the form of hydrogen, as well as the production of heat and electricity, incorporating fuel cells and electric and hydrogen charging stations. The hubs, to be set up in barracks, are capable of ensuring self-sufficiency for several days and support for both military and civil electric and hybrid mobility.

The activities of the RESHUB project run parallel to, and are strongly intertwined with, the activities of the SiEnE partnership. The solutions arising as a result of the RESHUB project will also be incorporated in the development of deployable infrastructure capacities (smart camps) or SmartDIC. SmartDIC is one of TECES, SiEnE and SRIP Smart Buildings’ strategic orientations.

In the framework of the RESHUB project – Defence RESilience HUB Network in Europe – the Slovenian Ministry of Defence (Si MoD) is setting up a network of self-sufficient energy hubs in Slovenia. The Ministry is also the holder of the initiative to create similar hubs in the EU. This opens up the possibility of connecting the defence and security sectors within Europe in the form of a “hydrogen motorway” and of facilitating development of energy-autonomous logistic hubs to support green transport in an alliance concept in the host country.

RESHUB is a pan-European project providing off-grid capacities in the support of defence installations on EU territory. Its contribution will become apparent in the reduction of energy dependence on external resources and in the use of renewable energy sources in the Si MoD infrastructure. The outcomes of the project will include support of a robust energy supply through off-grid sources and energy storage, help in building an industry foundation based on renewables, and support for the introduction of electric and hybrid mobility.

Hubs

The network of hubs comprises renewable energy sources, energy conversion and the storage of energy in the form of hydrogen, as well as the production of heat and electricity, incorporating fuel cells and electric and hydrogen charging stations. The hubs, to be set up in military bases or barracks, are capable of ensuring self-sufficiency for several days and support for both military and civil electric and hybrid mobility.

Local level and local communities

At the local level, the military bases or barracks will secure the supply of energy through renewable energy sources: solar power plants, wind power plants and small hydropower plants. A hydrogen (H2) reservoir with a dedicated capacity will be set up and filled with hydrogen derived from hydrolysis, using the energy acquired from renewable energy sources and the power grid, or with hydrogen acquired in the process of natural gas reforming. With electric power from the public distribution system, hydrogen will be produced in cases of electric energy surplus from this system. The connection to the public distribution system will both enable a reduction of surpluses and resolve shortages of electric energy in this system.

By setting up the first five hubs in the barracks of the Slovenian Armed Forces, an estimated reduction of CO2 emissions of up to 10,000 tons per year is anticipated. At the same time, such hubs will make it possible to produce and store energy locally over longer periods of time and thus considerably reduce dependence on external energy sources. In the event of natural disasters and other crisis situations, the hubs will represent a source of energy that is both independent (local) and reliable. And for the local community they will form the basis of the development of green public and private transport. The project will support the use of electric-powered vehicles (energy stored in batteries or hydrogen).

EU policies

The project was initiated by the Slovenian Ministry of Defence within the framework of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector, which was organised by the EDA in cooperation with the Directorate-General for Energy and on the basis of the Corridor of Slovenia’s Emission-free Mobility project.

The project is supported by the European Defence Agency (EDA) and several EU Member States (AT, BE, DE, HU). The project affects the following four EU policy areas: environmental, energy, common security and defence, and transport policy.