Techniek Nederland, the business association for the installation industry and technical retail, advocates the possibility of legally delivering sustainably generated energy to neighbors or local businesses. Smart technical solutions could alleviate a significant portion of today's electricity grid problems.
"The tech sector can contribute significantly to the solution. For example, by sharing sustainably generated energy with neighboring households or companies, which can reduce congestion on the grid. The government and grid operators should make this legally possible," said Doekle Terpstra, chairman of Techniek Nederland, in response to the announcements by outgoing energy minister Rob Jetten to relieve the overloaded power grid.
Techniek Nederland welcomes initiatives such as smart controllable appliances, energy management systems and hybrid heat pumps. But the government should also encourage more frequent use of home and neighborhood batteries and support innovation, the industry believes. "Minister Jetten has offered to stay in talks with the technical sector about possible solutions, and we are happy to accept that offer," Terpstra adds.
The Port of Rotterdam Authority, together with grid operators TenneT and Stedin, is also investigating new, creative solutions to quickly create space on the electricity grid. This is done to support companies in the port area in their switch from gas to electricity, as part of their efforts to reduce CO2. "A lack of grid capacity should not hinder sustainability. Therefore, we must find more creative solutions to build faster and use the existing grid more efficiently so that the port can continue to develop," said Boudewijn Siemons, interim chief executive of the Port Authority.
