Dutch utility coordinates flexibility contracts for continuous EV charge

Dutch utility company Liander, subsidiary of Alliander, has implemented flexibility contracts with renewable companies for an EV hub’s access to continuous supply despite scarcity on the electricity grid.

The flexibility, or capacity-limiting, contracts are being used to coordinate electricity supply for operations of a construction project for the emission-free dyke improvement between Tiel and Waardenburg in the Netherlands, on behalf of the Rivierenland Water Board.

The WattHub, completed earlier this year in July, provides electricity for more than 40 construction vehicles and trucks simultaneously.

But in the Netherlands, grid reliability has been a recurring issue; bottlenecks have been a consistent concern with the latest announced by Liander in August across three cities.

To maintain continuous supply to the hub, the Dutch utility has drawn up capacity-limiting contracts for wind supplier Betuwewind and solar developer Avri Solar BV, whereby electricity feed-in from the companies is flexibly coordinated.

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Reserve supply for continuous charging

A fast-charging plaza in Geldermalsen, the WattHub currently relies on energy from Betuwewind’s wind supply, with Avri Solar’s supply earmarked for the future.

According to Liander, the plaza’s batteries need to be full before the working day starts; at night, when space is usually available on the electricity grid, Betuwewind now uses electricity from the grid in case there is insufficient wind.

For other times, when scarcity remains, through the capacity-limiting contract, Liander can call on entrepreneurs to temporarily reduce the feed-in of electricity.

This creates more space on the grid, and the grid operator can realise additional connections for the wind and solar parks.

For example, states Liander, Betuwewind was instructed to feed back two megawatts less power for an hour to prevent overloading on the grid. Betuwewind duly complied and any loss of income was compensated.

In this way, the share of sustainable energy in the region is growing, they state, and bottlenecks can be prevented.

The initiative is the latest in the country to enhance grid management through flexibility.

Earlier this year in June, Dutch Minister for Climate and Energy Policy of the Netherlands Rob Jetten announced intention to appoint a flexibility coordinator, signalling its importance for the country’s grid system going forward.

According to Liander, this project is yet another sign that flexibility of energy demand will be necessary to make optimal use of the grid.