Province and municipality pave way for large battery
Dronten, Nov. 22, 2024 - With a symbolic first dig, Deputy Hofstra (Flevoland) and Alderman Hillebregt-de Valk (Dronten) gave the starting shot for the construction of the first truly large battery in Eastern Flevoland. The battery will be located in the outlying area of Dronten.
Dronter Energie Opslag (DEO) is one of three large-scale battery-electric storage projects in Flevoland for which special policy space has been made available. Through vision from the province and municipality and thinking in terms of possibilities, the zoning plan for DEO could be amended and then an environmental permit issued. Last September, the permit for DEO became irrevocable.
First phase
The project involves the construction of a 90-MW battery on a 3-acre (30,000-square-foot) parcel on Olsterdwarspad. This is DEO's first phase, as the zoning plan allows for a total of 6 acres of energy storage.
The large battery will be connected to the nearby station of Closed Distribution System Green (GDG). Eight wind farms that are part of Windplan Groen are connected to this private electricity network. The solar farm at Flevo Nice in Biddinghuizen is also connected to this network. As a result, less sustainable electricity will be lost in the near future because - in case of peak load on TenneT's high-voltage grid - it can be temporarily stored in DEO's battery.
Sustainable alternative
In addition to flexibility in supplying power to the high-voltage grid, DEO will soon be able to offer balancing services to TenneT. These are necessary to maintain the European agreed grid frequency of 50 Herz, thus preventing failures. These balancing services are now mainly offered by gas power plants. Battery-electric energy storage is the low CO2 and therefore sustainable alternative for this.
Location and construction time
The new battery park will be built between the GDG station and Olsterdwarspad and a short distance from TenneT's high-voltage substation. The battery park will soon consist of rhythmically arranged battery cabinets up to 3.5 meters high. Construction will take about a year. In the third quarter of 2025, DEO expects to store the first electricity. In the first half of 2026, this phase of DEO will be fully operational.
Contribution to the environment
While DEO has an impact in the outlying area of Dronten, it also contributes emphatically to the surrounding area. During the first five years of operation, the promoters will make several deposits into the area fund that will also be used for the wind farms: Stichting Windfondsen Dronten. The deposits represent a total value of €450,000. That contribution will benefit initiatives that improve the livability and living environment of residents.
About DEO
Dronter Energie Opslag is a joint initiative of FlevoBESS, GreenPowerBank Dronten and Pure Energie. These parties are working in a mutually equal (financial) relationship to realize the battery project.
FlevoBESS is a partnership arising from the wind farms XY Wind, Ansjovisstroom and Flevo Ventum. These are wind farms in Eastern Flevoland, part of Windplan Groen. Local residents and members of Windshare also participate in FlevoBESS. BESS stands for Battery Energy Storage System. By participating in Dronter Energie Opslag, FlevoBESS can store self-generated sustainable electricity. FlevoBESS is legally and economically a completely independent company.
GreenPowerBank Dronten is part of the Dutch investor Begro, which has been active in the development, realization and operation of wind and solar projects since 1995. Renewable energy is constantly evolving, which is why with GreenPowerBank Begro is now also focusing on the storage of sustainably generated electricity and trading in it.
Pure Energy is a renewable energy company that develops, builds and manages its own wind turbines and solar farms in the Netherlands. Pure Energie supplies this sustainable electricity to its customers. Among other things, Pure Energie has twenty wind turbines in Eastern Flevoland that are part of Windplan Groen. Pure Energie is now also focusing on the storage of the electricity generated and is therefore participating in DEO.
Pictured, from left to right:
- Lazise Hillebregt-de Valk, alderman Municipality of Dronten
- Gert Naber, director FlevoBESS
- Anne de Groot, director GreenPowerBank Dronten
- Harold Hofstra, deputy Flevoland province
- Arthur Vermeulen, director of Pure Energy
