There is a major shortage of capacity and connections to the power grid. This hinders the construction of new homes and the expansion of business and industry. The government and grid operators have previously announced measures to expand the power grid faster and smarter.
“Choosing a hybrid instead of a full electric heat pump can help reduce the load on the power grid…”
Particularly in the provinces of Flevopolder, Gelderland and Utrecht, the electricity grid is reaching its limits even faster than expected. In those regions, the measures are being introduced more quickly and expanded even further, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy reports.
Network operators are stuck
The grid operators investigate per region what additional measures are needed to ensure that the electricity grid remains reliable, there is sufficient space for households and housing and, where possible, space is created for companies. This shows that in the provinces of Flevopolder, Gelderland and Utrecht the demand for space on the power grid is growing faster than expected and that grid operators can expand the electricity grid. Some of the measures will initially be applied in the province of Utrecht.
Additional production
Some bottlenecks on the electricity grid can be solved by generating additional energy in a different way. These can assist at times when there is more regional demand for electricity than can fit on the high-voltage grid. Because peaks in power demand last too long to be met with batteries alone, gas generators are also temporarily used for this purpose.
Regional adjustments to the power grid
The grid operators are taking technical measures to create more space on the power grid. Four important high-voltage stations in the region are being reinforced as quickly as possible. TenneT, Stedin and Liander are also investigating the possibility of temporarily placing a heavier burden on the existing electricity grid. This creates more space until the power grid is expanded. The risks of using the electricity grid more heavily are being investigated. A temporary extra switching position is already being installed in Utrecht so that the power grid can handle peak loads for longer.
Encourage flexibility
It will become financially more attractive for large-scale consumer companies and industry to shift some of their power consumption outside peak hours. In addition, it will be possible for large consumers to conclude contracts with a maximum of 50 percent discount on grid rates if they use less or no electricity during peak hours. These measures will create more room for companies that want a new or heavier connection, but also for making homes and new housing construction more sustainable, it is expected.
EV charging
The government and grid operators are taking measures so that the sustainability of homes can continue as much as possible. For example, some of the public charging stations can adjust the charging speed to the available space on the power grid and batteries from electric cars (EV) can be used for temporary storage. The Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, together with grid operators and market parties, is investigating the option of having public charging stations switch back during peak times. A decision on this is expected next month.
Heat pumps and electricity grid
A hybrid heat pump works together with a central heating boiler and can save an average of about 60 percent of the gas consumption when heating the home. Choosing a hybrid heat pump instead of a fully electric heat pump can help to reduce the pressure on the power grid, because it uses less power. The government, grid operators and trade association Techniek Nederland are also working on a protocol to efficiently set up heat pumps in large-scale renovations and new construction projects so that they do not all use a lot of electricity at the same time.
Source: Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate.
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