Flexibility as the Key to a Smarter Energy System: Voltao on Smart Control and Energy Storage

Every month, Energy Storage NL introduces a new member to its membership. This month, we’re getting to know Voltao, a specialist in the smart management of batteries, solar and wind farms, and other energy assets. With its proprietary software, real-time data, and expertise in the energy markets, Voltao helps Voltao business energy customers to make optimal use of, store, and trade renewable energy. In this way, the company increases the return on energy assets and contributes to a more flexible and efficient energy system. In this interview, Voltao discusses the growing role of batteries, the power of a Virtual Power Plant, the opportunities for flexibility during grid congestion, and what is needed to make better use of energy storage in the Netherlands.

Could you briefly tell us who Voltao is, what you do, and what role you want to play in the energy system of the future?

Voltao helps business energy customers get the most out of their renewable energy. Using smart software, real-time data, and expertise in the energy markets, we continuously manage batteries, solar and wind farms, and energy infrastructure. We determine when energy can best be used, stored, or traded. In this way, we make energy more flexible, increase returns, and utilize capacity on the power grid more intelligently. 

Based in Enschede, our team of more than 20 experienced specialists works 24/7 to manage more than 100 energy assets, with access to all energy markets and all necessary licenses. We currently manage over 325 MW and aim to significantly expand this in the coming period.   

In the energy system of the future, we see an important role for ourselves in continuing to create opportunities for our customers. In an increasingly flexible energy market, it is essential that energy help us continue to grow. At the same time, we relieve pressure on the energy system when necessary.       

What role do smart software and data play in the optimal deployment of batteries and other energy assets?

Smart software and data are essential for optimizing the use of batteries and other energy assets and achieving maximum returns. Today’s market demands speed and smart solutions. We are prepared for this and ready for the future, capable of managing multiple assets across different markets simultaneously.

Our proprietary middleware and our Virtual Power Plant (VPP) form the foundation for this. The middleware connects batteries, solar farms, and wind farms to our systems in real time, regardless of brand or type. In the VPP, we bundle these assets into a single flexible portfolio that we deploy as a whole across multiple markets. Over the next five years, we expect the value of flexibility to increasingly shift toward the smart combination of markets and the management of grid congestion. That is why we continue to invest in a platform that scales with a larger and more diverse portfolio, ensuring that owners reap maximum benefits without having to deal with the complexities of the market. 

According to Voltao, what value can batteries bring to the Dutch energy system, and how do you expect this role to evolve over the next five to ten years?

Batteries are particularly valuable because of their flexibility. They draw power when there is plenty of sun and wind and feed power back into the grid when it is in short supply. They also help keep the grid in balance. 

Over the next five to ten years, we expect a significant increase in the number of batteries. As a result, some markets—such as balancing markets—will reach saturation more quickly. The focus will shift toward trading on the day-ahead and intraday markets and toward reducing the load on the grid. The difference lies increasingly in the quality of the optimization, not in ownership of the battery itself. 

What role can batteries and smart control systems play in managing grid congestion?

Batteries help alleviate grid congestion by smoothing out peaks and making better use of existing connections. This allows for more energy to be consumed or generated through the same connection, enabling businesses to grow sooner—even while they’re still waiting for grid expansion. Smart control makes this possible: by predicting production, consumption, and grid load, you can charge and discharge at the right time. This flexibility can also be leveraged by grid operators, for example in congestion markets. Grid upgrades remain necessary, but flexibility at least bridges the waiting period. 

In your opinion, what is currently the biggest obstacle to making the most of flexibility in the Netherlands? And what is needed to change that?

The biggest obstacle is that regulations and grid tariffs do not yet adequately reflect the value that flexibility brings to the grid. Batteries can help alleviate grid congestion, but are often treated as ordinary consumers. What is needed: grid tariffs that reward grid-supporting flexibility and flexible transmission rights that are simple, widely available, and predictable.

Voltao has joined Energy Storage NL. What was the deciding factor for you in joining the trade association?

We see ourselves as a key player in the field of flexible grid management. As such, it’s only natural for us to have a say in how the sector develops. Through Energy Storage NL, we can contribute our practical experience to discussions on regulations, grid tariffs, and market design, while also learning from other members. Storage and flexibility will only be successful if the rules of the game are right, and we want to help shape them. So we’re very excited to have become members!  

As members of Energy Storage NL, what contribution do you hope to make to the further development of energy storage and flexibility in the Netherlands?

Above all, we hope to contribute our practical experience. Because we manage batteries in various markets ourselves, we see what works in practice and where regulations or market design create bottlenecks. We want to share that insight, for example, when designing grid tariffs and market access. In addition, we want to demonstrate that the smart management of many installations simultaneously, via a VPP, can be a fully-fledged part of the energy system. And, of course, we also look forward to learning from the experiences of other members!