Blockchain

Layered Energy System — Blockchain Grid Management

ICT Group / Stedin November 2018 – September 2019 Software Engineer

Market solution for a local energy community using Ethereum blockchain, enabling peer-to-peer energy trading and preventing grid congestion through intelligent flex management for Dutch grid operator Stedin.

C#ASP.NET CoreBlockchainEthereumNethereumAzure FunctionsAzure Logic AppsUnit TestingEntity Framework CoreUSEF Framework

Key Achievements

  • Designed and implemented the blockchain integration layer using Nethereum and Ethereum smart contracts
  • Built congestion prevention algorithms based on the USEF (Universal Smart Energy Framework)
  • Created Azure Functions for automated flex management and demand-response events
  • Implemented peer-to-peer energy trading mechanism for local community members

The Challenge

Stedin, one of the Netherlands’ major grid operators, faced a growing problem: local energy communities with solar panels and battery storage were creating unpredictable grid congestion. Traditional centralized approaches couldn’t respond fast enough to local supply/demand imbalances.

The project explored whether blockchain technology could enable a truly decentralized, peer-to-peer energy trading market within a local community while automatically managing grid congestion.

The Solution

Working within the USEF (Universal Smart Energy Framework), I built a blockchain-backed energy trading platform:

Blockchain Layer:

  • Ethereum smart contracts for transparent, immutable energy trades
  • Nethereum .NET library for smart contract interaction
  • Wallet management for community participants

Flex Management:

  • Algorithms detecting congestion risk based on weather forecasts and historical consumption
  • Automated flex requests sent to participants with surplus energy
  • Real-time balancing via Azure Logic Apps workflows

Backend:

  • ASP.NET Core API for participant management
  • Azure Functions for automated scheduled processes
  • SQL Server for trade history and analytics

My Role

I set up the solution architecture for the blockchain integration components and implemented the Nethereum-based smart contract interaction layer, the congestion prevention algorithms, and the Azure Functions for automated grid management.

Interested in working together?