Secretary of State De Bat: “Organizing lots of battery capacity to solve grid congestion”
Last week's debate on grid congestion in the House of Representatives reaffirmed that grid limits are increasingly a bottleneck for energy transition, economic development and housing development. Several Members of Parliament stressed the importance of energy storage to achieve solutions for grid congestion. Energy Storage NL is pleased with this broad political recognition, but sees that further concretization and acceleration of policy remain necessary.
Flexibility as key, but regulations pose obstacle
The debate highlighted that flexibility and storage can play a crucial role in alleviating grid congestion. Several parties emphasized that temporary flexible solutions, such as battery storage, can be used to create space for residential construction, among other things. At the same time, it was noted that current grid rules and contract terms do not adequately reflect this practice. There is a need for appropriate flexibility contracts and, where necessary, adjustments in grid codes and exemptions.
Lack of transparency and data visibility
Another recurring theme in the debate was the lack of transparency and insight. MPs called attention to better information about grid load, flexibility options and the development of storage capacity. From the sector, the lack of a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of storage locations is perceived as an obstacle. Insight into the supply and demand for flexibility, particularly through real-time data, also remains insufficiently developed for the time being. Secretary of State De Bat acknowledged that significant improvements are still needed here.
Role of small consumers and local energy systems
We also considered the role of small consumers around flexibility. While large consumers already have access to flexibility contracts, this is much less true for households and smaller companies. This while precisely at the local level, for example through home and neighborhood batteries, substantial contributions can be made to relieve the burden on the electricity grid. Making better use of this potential requires appropriate incentives, fair compensation mechanisms and the removal of existing barriers.
Storage capacity in projections and realization
State Secretary De Bat confirmed that forecasts from grid operators in the Flevopolder, Gelderland and Utrecht regions now take into account approximately 1 GW of battery capacity. While this is an important step, in practice this capacity is not yet fully realized and further upscaling will be necessary to future-proof the grid. The secretary of state indicated that interest in flexibility contracts, such as the capacity control contract, has increased in number but acknowledged that the conditions must be further developed so that this is used to achieve further growth in storage capacity. The state secretary expressed the ambition to organize a lot of battery capacity to start solving the grid congestion issue.
Conclusion: from recognition to implementation
The debate shows that the direction is clear: energy storage and flexibility are indispensable building blocks for solving grid congestion. The task now lies in translating this broad recognition into concrete measures, speeding up regulation and creating workable market conditions. Energy Storage NL remains committed to working with government and grid operators to realize these necessary steps.
