Sustainability industry strained by grid congestion

New connections to the high-voltage grid are virtually impossible in a large part of the Netherlands. Grid operator TenneT reported 17 November 2022 that there is "grid congestion". The Netherlands is accelerating its energy transition because of high gas prices, TenneT explained. That sustainability is now under pressure. Industry suffers as a result.

Loss of Dutch business climate

FNLI sees a major challenge in making industry more sustainable. Sustainability plans have been under pressure for some time. Hence the initiative to pull together with VNP Cluster 6. However, recent news reports show that the need is even higher than expected. The attractiveness of the Dutch business climate, especially due to cheap and available energy, is drastically decreasing now that economic activities have to wait for (temporary) solutions to be realised.

Direction on distribution issue

FNLI wants the current Energy Act to be amended. Currently, when a company applies for electricity, it is put on a waiting list. As soon as space becomes available, the company is connected to the grid. The waiting lists are not transparent and companies cannot make investment plans if they do not have a connection date. FNLI advocates a system that allows for strategic choices.

Room for innovation for flexibility

In the letter Minister for Climate and Energy Rob Jetten sent to the government on 17 November, he indicated that - besides accelerated grid reinforcement - flexible potential among companies is one of the spearheads. Large-scale batteries and electrolysis are examples of innovations for flexibility for which the responsibility now lies with companies. Grid operators are legally not allowed to interfere in the energy balancing market. FNLI is calling for a relaxation of those rules through the ACM in order to use innovations for flexibility precisely for balancing the grid themselves, thus preventing congestion from getting worse.

Speeding up procedures

What neither the minister nor the grid operators are talking about are the problems that come on top of grid congestion itself: oppressive procedures. Earlier, the minister did indicate to include permits for very large projects under the State coordination. However, quick wins can also be achieved by speeding up procedures on a regional scale. FNLI therefore calls for the squeezing procedures to be scrutinised again.

Fnli.nl