Regional grid operators explore time-bound contract for large-scale battery storage
The regional grid operators will investigate how time-limited contracts for customers with large-scale battery storage can contribute to a more efficient use of the electricity grid. In doing so, they are anticipating the new Energy Act that is currently in the works. Thanks to this smart solution, unused space on the electricity grid can be used during off-peak times to connect more entrepreneurs, including in places where the grid has reached its maximum capacity. Liander is announcing the first pilots in North Holland and Flevoland, Enexis Netbeheer in Drenthe.
The electricity grid forms the basis for the Netherlands' sustainability and economic development. But due to the explosively increased demand for electricity and the rapid rise of solar parks and solar roofs, the grid is reaching its maximum capacity in more and more places. However, that maximum capacity is usually only actually requested by the connected entrepreneurs at a few moments. The rest of the time, the capacity of the grid is only partially used (see the picture). Grid operators are required by law, when allocating capacity on the grid 24/7, to take into account the maximum capacity that all connected operators can request simultaneously. If that limit is reached, grid operators are obliged to place new requests on a waiting list until the grid is expanded. Meanwhile, at many times, part of the electricity grid's capacity remains unused.
Unused power grid space
Customers with large batteries are also required by current laws and regulations to contract capacity on the grid 24/7 for both consumption (charging) and feed-in to the grid (discharging). As more and more large-scale batteries are installed, they now often contribute to reaching the maximum capacity of the grid. Whereas they can be one of the solutions to use the grid more efficiently. In the new Energy Act, opportunities arise to regulate this differently.
Time-based contracts
The grid operators will now investigate how time-based contracts for customers with large-scale battery storage can contribute to a more efficient use of the electricity grid. Within a number of pilots, the grid operators will offer customers with large batteries the option of using the grid's residual space to charge and discharge their batteries. This means that they can access the grid only at times when unused space is available.
Pilots Enexis
Enexis Netbeheer is collaborating in a pilot with PowerField, operator of solar parks. The parties are doing this in Meppel and Emmen. PowerField places its own batteries at its solar parks there to postpone the feed-in of solar power to quieter moments when the grid is busy. Han Slootweg, Director Asset Management Enexis Netbeheer: "This pilot is a good example of an innovative solution that we have developed together with our customers. I am proud that together with PowerField we are taking the lead in putting this solution into practice. This will enable us to make much better use of the electricity grid, which will also enable us to connect even more new sustainable initiatives."
Read more about the partnership of Enexis and PowerField
Pilots Liander
Liander launches GIGA Storage, developer of large-scale battery systems, three pilots in its service area. They involve the deployment of batteries in Amsterdam, Alkmaar and Lelystad. In Amsterdam and Alkmaar, the electricity grid has reached maximum capacity for the supply of electricity. Here the parties want to create additional capacity for the supply of electricity by deploying batteries. In Lelystad, the grid has reached maximum capacity for the feed-in of wind and solar power. GIGA Storage and Liander want to use the batteries here to create more space for the input of green power. Huibert Baud, Director of Customer & Design at Liander: "This will help us learn how to communicate the available capacity on the grid to our customers by time slot and whether the business case of developers can be made out in combination with opportunities for other revenues such as congestion services. The first results are expected in 2023."
Read more about Liander and Giga Storage's partnership
Expansions and innovations
The grid operators are expanding the electricity grid substantially all over the country with new cables, additional transformer houses and electricity distribution stations. Until 2030, this involves an investment of as much as 30 billion euros.
However, the expansion of the electricity grid is not going fast enough to keep up with all the developments and continue to meet the new demand. That is why grid operators are also focusing on various innovations and smart solutions to make better use of the electricity grid, such as using the grid's emergency lane to transport wind and solar power and multiple producers on 1 cable (cable pooling).
With more renewable and local sources such as wind and solar as its basis, the energy system of the future will be much more decentralized and more weather-dependent. Both consumers and entrepreneurs in the future will therefore have to access energy in a very different way and adjust their energy use to moments when energy is available and can be transported.
