Netherlands implements battery storage and grid solutions to manage wind energy

The Netherlands is implementing various strategies to manage electricity grid congestion and integrate renewable energy. In Dronten, a large-scale battery has been commissioned to store excess electricity generated by Windplan Groen’s 86 wind turbines. This facility has a capacity of 65 MWh, with plans to double it to 130 MWh through a 30 million euro investment by Pure Energie.

To address industrial grid constraints, the grid operator Liander has introduced the ‘FlexPlus Battery’ contract. This allows companies to bypass waiting lists for transport capacity by investing in larger batteries and sharing a portion of that capacity with the grid. In exchange, businesses receive guaranteed monthly compensation and additional transport power.

Furthermore, research commissioned by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy suggests that ‘deep landing’ of North Sea wind power could alleviate pressure on the national high-voltage grid. By using underground direct current cables to bring electricity further inland—specifically targeting regions like Limburg, Gelderland, and Noord-Brabant—the need for rapid expansion of the 380kV coastal connections may be reduced.