Launch of Integrated Energy Storage Policy Agenda
Energy Storage NL, together with the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth (KGG) and the grid operators, has started developing an integrated energy storage policy agenda. This agenda was announced back in October during the ESNL work visit by Minister Hermans to the battery farm next to ENGIE's Maxima power plant.
This agenda aims to accelerate the rollout of energy storage in practice on a number of strategic topics. These include optimizing the preconditions for storage in the event of grid congestion, addressing spatial planning issues and developing possible incentives and financial preconditions. The focus of the agenda is primarily on the role of storage in solving grid congestion. Energy Storage NL will also continue to draw attention to the long-term value of energy storage and the policy perspective required to achieve this, which must include room for all forms of storage.
Earlier, the minister announced to work on a national target for energy storage, as part of a broader flex target for the Netherlands. This will provide insight into the storage capacity needed in the short, medium and long term, making it possible to implement effective policy. The development of the integrated policy strategy is an important first step in this regard.
DNV study on batteries and grid congestion
Last year pleaded Energy Storage NL and Netbeheer Nederland jointly advocated a review of the role of batteries in grid congestion. In doing so, they referred to the earlier CE Delft study ‘Policy for large-scale battery systems and off-take congestion’, which concluded that battery projects would not alleviate decline congestion and that no policy needed to be developed for them.
Due to rapid developments in battery technology and improved preconditions - such as adapted contracts and fitting conditions - both industries called on the Lower House to commission additional research into the possible role of batteries in purchasing congestion. Both parties do expect batteries to play a role here.
Energy Storage NL is therefore pleased that the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth has asked research firm DNV to investigate this further. The central question is what additional policy is needed to accommodate different types of large-scale batteries in a congestion-neutral or congestion-relieving way on the medium-voltage grid and the (additional) high-voltage grid.
The research report is expected to be published in late April and will serve as valuable input for the integrated Energy Storage Policy Strategy. Energy Storage NL is participating in the study's sounding board group.
