Concept-NRD PEH II: government explicitly investigates role of energy storage in national energy infrastructure 

With the publication of the draft Scope and Level of Detail Memorandum (NRD), the first formal step has been taken towards the Energy Infrastructure Structure Program II (PEH II). In this document, the government describes what will be investigated, which scenarios and variants will be considered, and how the effects will be assessed before decisions are made about the spatial design of the national energy infrastructure towards 2050. 

The NRD thus forms the substantive starting point for the study and is now open for input from governments, businesses, and civil society organizations. 

What is PEH II?

PEH II is intended to reserve space in a timely manner for large-scale energy infrastructure that is necessary for a climate-neutral energy system. The program builds on existing frameworks such as the National Energy System Plan (NPE), the Spatial Planning Policy Document, grid developments related to offshore wind, and the Regional Energy Strategies (RES). 

PEH II focuses on high-voltage connections, pipelines, electrolysers, hydrogen storage, batteries, and power plants, among other things. The focus is not on specific projects, but on strategic choices: where will which infrastructure be needed in the future, and under what conditions? 

What does the draft NRD say?

The draft NRD constitutes phase 1 of the PEH II process. This process consists of four phases: determining the scope and level of detail (NRD), analyzing bottlenecks using scenarios and variants, assessing impacts, and drawing policy conclusions. 

The NRD does not yet contain any choices or outcomes, but it does set out which scenarios and variants are being investigated and how they are being assessed. Phase 1 thus forms the framework for all analyses and considerations in the subsequent steps.  

Four future scenarios and variants: energy storage explicitly examined

The basis for the PEH II study consists of four future scenarios developed by Netbeheer Nederland (2025). All scenarios assume a climate-neutral energy system in 2050, but differ in structure: more electricity, more hydrogen, more imports, or more national balance. In all four scenarios, the need for flexibility is growing, with energy storage playing an increasingly important role in balancing supply and demand and ensuring the reliable functioning of the electricity system. 

In order to investigate a wide range of possible system choices, the ministry adds energy and spatial variants to these scenarios. Energy variants change assumptions in the energy mix, including less battery storage, less national hydrogen production, and different industrial demand. Spatial variants keep the energy mix the same but explore alternative locations and the distribution of infrastructure, including battery storage. 

It is striking that energy storage is growing strongly in all scenarios, but that the government is explicitly investigating the consequences if that growth lags behind. This variant examines the impact on the energy system and the necessary infrastructure, such as additional grid reinforcement, the use of power plants or other flexibility options, and effects on system efficiency, costs, and security of supply. This explicitly positions energy storage as a policy consideration rather than a fixed starting point. 

Assessment via IEA and plan-MER

The effects of scenarios and the energy and spatial variants are assessed using an Integral Impact Analysis (IEA), which focuses on four themes: energy system efficiency, environment and space (plan-MER), broad prosperity (costs and economic effects), and feasibility. 

For energy storage, the plan-MER emphasizes noise, safety, and spatial integration, with the depth of the research varying depending on the type of policy choice (e.g., new spatial reservations versus strategic vision formation). 

Why this is relevant to the energy storage sector 

The draft NRD shows that energy storage: 

• is a structural part of national system analyses, 
• is explicitly included in both scenarios and variants, 
• and is subject to policy decisions regarding scale, location, and necessity. 

The consultation phase offers market parties the opportunity to respond substantively to assumptions, variants, and assessment criteria before the research framework is finalized.