Recap: Battery & Storage Masterclass - from system role to practice
On April 14, 2026, the master class Battery & Storage took place at the smart beach grid in Scheveningen. Organized by the New Energy Business School (NEBS) in collaboration with Energy Storage NL (ESNL), the day brought together more than 30 professionals working on the role of battery storage in the energy system.
The location was deliberately chosen and immediately provided an inspiring practical example. In fact, Aloha Beachclub is connected to a local energy system in which five beach clubs make joint use of a battery. Through smart use of the grid and flexibility, it is possible to share energy in this way. This made the setting not only special, but also substantively relevant: participants found themselves literally in the middle of the practice of energy storage.
From system role to technology
The day started with a substantive deepening of the role of energy storage within the energy system. Led by Robert Kleiburg (ESNL board member), flexibility and the position of storage within it were discussed. This included looking at the relationship between battery storage and other forms of energy storage, and how batteries are controlled in practice.
Next, Paul Geluk (Return Energy) took participants through the economics of battery projects. The session provided insight into how a business case for a battery is established and the important input and output factors involved.
Practice: Smart Beach Net
The afternoon focused on the link to practice. The Smart Beach Grid in Scheveningen was presented as an example of local energy management. Bart van Velthoven and Patrick Segeren showed how battery storage, smart charging, heat pumps and Solar PV come together in a local energy system that contributes to reducing grid congestion. This included insight into the role of the municipality in enabling such initiatives.
During the subsequent site visit, participants had a chance to see this system up close and engage in conversation about its technical and organizational challenges.
Perspective municipalities and grid operators
Piet Ackermans (Municipality of Oosterhout) then provided insight into the policy side of battery projects. Using as an example the recently announced Sequoia project (200 MW / 800 MWh) which shows that it can be done, Piet clearly explained how municipalities can deal with spatial integration, permitting and stakeholder management.
The day was concluded by Rob den Exter (Stedin), who outlined the perspective of the grid operator. He discussed the role of batteries in the electricity grid, the possibilities and limitations of storage and the cooperation between grid operators, governments and market parties. It also became clear that the vision of grid operators has changed in a short period of time: battery storage is increasingly seen as a fully-fledged and reliable form of flexibility within the energy system, a development that is essential for energy transition.
We look back on a successful day with valuable insights, good discussions and new connections between industry professionals.
