Milestone for GreenLeven with installation of first battery project
GroenLeven achieved a milestone this week: its first batteries were installed at its floating solar park in Sellingen. This marks the developer of large-scale renewable energy projects' first concrete step into the world of battery storage. The eight batteries have a combined output of 15 megawatts and a capacity of 30 megawatt hours. This event marks an important step in the Netherlands' energy transition and helps solve the challenges associated with the full power grid.
The batteries provide the ability to store the solar energy generated by the solar farm and make it available when the sun is not shining. In addition, the batteries stabilize the grid by taking power on short notice or jumping in when needed, such as when there is an unexpected peak or drop in supply and demand on the power grid. With the addition of the batteries to Europe's largest floating solar park, a continuous, reliable power supply is provided. GreenLeven is thus responding to the dynamic nature of solar energy.
Widening GreenLife
With this battery project, GroenLeven is taking another step in its expansion into storage. Peter Paul Weeda, CEO GroenLeven: "The integration of batteries at the Sellingen solar farm not only represents progress for GroenLeven, but is also of great importance for the energy transition. We feel it is our mission to help further the energy transition and that also means contributing to balancing the grid. We are therefore not only focusing on solar energy, but are broadening out to include storage: both batteries and green hydrogen. In doing so, we help grid operators ensure a stable and reliable electricity grid in times of increasingly weather-dependent electricity generation."
The battery project near Sellingen is one of many battery projects that GroenLeven will be implementing. Collectively, these projects add up to more than 2,000 megawatts of power. Says Weeda, "Our dedicated team deals with the latest battery storage technologies on a daily basis. They are developing innovative solutions like these for energy transition, grid congestion and grid stability and I am incredibly proud of that."
Uncertain market
Despite the large pipeline, the market for batteries in the Netherlands is still uncertain. Storage technologies such as batteries and electrolysers are currently seen as consumers of energy, requiring extremely high transportation costs to be paid. Says Weeda, "Adjusting transportation tariffs is crucial to the business case for battery storage, as transportation costs often account for more than 80% of operating costs. Until an exception is made, as is already happening in neighboring Germany and Belgium, among others, financing for energy storage will be a challenge." TenneT is currently working with Netbeheer Nederland on a proposal to reduce transmission tariffs by granting a discount of up to 65 percent. Weeda: "This is a good first step, however, grid tariffs have risen so much over the past two years that there is uncertainty about the future increase in grid tariffs. It is important to get clarity soon, the energy transition cannot wait."
