Smart control of home batteries and other systems is intended to reduce the load on the power grid

Regional grid operators Enexis, Liander, and Stedin, along with energy suppliers Eneco, Essent, Vattenfall, Frank Energie, and Zonneplan, have announced that they will expand their collaboration to make better use of the electricity grid in residential areas. By intelligently managing devices such as charging stations, home batteries, and hybrid heat pumps, households in Gelderland, Utrecht, parts of the Flevopolder, and North Brabant can receive financial compensation when they help relieve pressure on the power grid during peak times.

Pressure on the power grid is increasing, especially during peak times in the winter. Between 4:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., households use a lot of electricity for heating, cooking, and charging electric cars, among other things. In some areas, this leads to grid congestion: the power grid is then unable to fully meet the demand.

Through this large-scale collaboration, grid operators Enexis, Liander, and Stedin, together with energy suppliers Eneco, Essent, Vattenfall, Frank Energie, and Zonneplan, aim to relieve pressure on the grid during peak times. According to the parties involved, this approach helps create more capacity for growth, sustainability, and new connections.

Smart steering without sacrificing comfort

The solution focuses on smarter use of devices in households. Charging stations, home batteries, and hybrid heat pumps can be controlled automatically, without households having to sacrifice comfort. The electric car is charged by morning, the home stays at a comfortable temperature, and home batteries can charge or discharge at exactly the right times.

Grid operators indicate when and where the power grid is under strain. Energy suppliers can then offer households the opportunity to use their appliances flexibly during those times. Households receive compensation for participating.

Expansion to 255 megawatts of flexible capacity

The collaboration was launched on a smaller scale last year. At that time, 35,000 households were able to participate in 21 areas where the strain on the power grid was already high. That initial phase showed that households are willing to shift their electricity consumption, as long as participation is simple and remains financially attractive.

In this new phase, the parties involved are aiming for 50,000 to 70,000 participating households in the short term. According to grid operators and suppliers, this could ultimately yield 255 megawatts of flexible capacity. That capacity can be deployed when an overload of the power grid is expected.

An Important Role for Energy Storage

For Energy Storage NL, this development underscores the importance of flexibility and energy storage in the energy system. Home batteries can help reduce peaks on the grid by temporarily storing electricity and making it available again at a later time. In doing so, they make a tangible contribution to a smarter and more reliable energy system.

This approach is not a substitute for grid reinforcement, but a necessary complement to it. Grid operators continue to invest in expanding the electricity grid. At the same time, it is becoming increasingly clear that flexibility, smart control, and storage are needed to make better use of available grid capacity.

Next Step: Market Survey on Smart Devices

On July 1, the grid operators will publish the market request titled ‘KV Flex Smart Devices.’ The request will provide further details on the conditions for participation. The parties involved aim to further accelerate and scale up the deployment of smart devices in households.