Market RadarBESS & Batterijparken
Utrecht launches 'Megaflex Approach' against grid congestion, focusing on battery storage
The province of Utrecht introduces 'Aanpak Megaflex' to combat grid congestion. Collaborating with municipalities and grid operators, the initiative focuses on flexible power generation and supply, including battery storage. This aims to shorten the connection pause for public services and create capacity on the overloaded electricity grid. Bidirectional charging of electric vehicles is also being explored as 'neighborhood batteries'.
The province of Utrecht, in collaboration with municipalities, regions, and grid operators TenneT and Stedin, is intensifying its efforts to address grid congestion. Under the initiative named ‘Aanpak Megaflex’ (Megaflex Approach), the focus is on more efficient utilization of the existing electricity grid. The objective is to gradually enable new connections and shorten the connection pause for essential public services by employing flexible electricity generation and supply, including through batteries.
Since July 1st, a complete connection pause has been in effect for new electricity connections in the Utrecht region. While expanding the grid with new high-voltage substations will take years, Megaflex aims for immediate solutions. The ambition is to progressively resume connections for societal priorities starting in 2028. Facilities such as emergency services, acute healthcare, and drinking water will receive priority. In other parts of the province, the approach is expected to alleviate pressure on the grid, allowing more public services to be connected.
Huib van Essen, Deputy for Energy Transition for the province of Utrecht, emphasized the province's commitment to action and more efficient use of current capacity. Warmold ten Zijthoff, Regional Director at Stedin, added that grid congestion necessitates a package of solutions, including grid expansion, smarter grid usage, and temporary flexible solutions.
The Megaflex Approach encompasses various measures. An example is the innovative expansion of the charging plaza for electric buses at the tram depot, achieved by charging buses via the tram's overhead lines. In the future, energy from the tram's braking force, stored in an external battery, will also be integrated.
Other key pillars include flexible generation using temporary gas generators and batteries to relieve the grid during peak demand, especially on winter evenings. The province and municipalities are working on installing ‘flextenders’ (temporary gas generators) and ‘congestion relievers’ (batteries or gas generators) at large organizations. The province itself plans to install two such systems. Furthermore, the initiative promotes flexible consumption through better distribution of electricity use and grid-aware charging of vehicles. A significant aspect is flexible capacity via smart devices and bidirectional charging (V2G) of electric cars, which can function as ‘neighborhood batteries’. Research is underway to assess the feasibility of scaling up the number of bidirectional vehicles to 5,000.
This coordinated strategy demonstrates a proactive stance to mitigate the challenges posed by an overloaded electricity grid.
Source: Varnws.nl
Want to know what this means for you?
Talk to Oranje-Eco →This article is an Oranje-Eco summary of a report by Bing News: netcongestie batterij. Read the original: Bing News: netcongestie batterij.
What opportunities do you foresee for flexible energy solutions within your projects in the Utrecht region?
No comments yet - be the first.