Flexible solutions for congestion management that work today
January 14, 2025
We are proud to share the results of a successful project in collaboration with grid operator Alliander. This project, part of Alliander’s Powered innovation program, demonstrates how mobile batteries can be effectively deployed for congestion management.
What Have We Achieved?
Four mobile battery containers, delivering a total of 1 MW of power and 2 MWh of capacity, were deployed and controlled via the GOPACS platform to provide congestion management services. These batteries responded to both day-ahead (CBC contract) and intraday (redispatch) requests.
The collaboration proves many aspects of using mobile batteries for congestion management is scalable and cost-efficient.
During the project, various congestion management contracts were tested with a consortium of five partners: 1 CSP, 1 BSP, 2 battery owners, the location owner, Alliander, GOPACS and Skoon connecting it all together.
A key element of the project was how Skoon connected it all together: the Grid Services Module. This module is designed to enable safe and efficient control of battery setups by multiple grid service operators. This innovation marks a significant step forward in facilitating grid congestion management with mobile batteries, while adding extra revenue opportunities to further reduce the costs.
Why Mobile Energy Solutions Are the Solution
As electricity demand rises rapidly, our electricity grid cannot keep up. This leads to congestion, costing society billions annually. In addition this issue is not unique to the Netherlands – it is a global challenge. However, much of this demand is driven by seasonal factors such as electric heating in winter or extra solar energy production during the summer. Check out our article on grid congestion and how batteries can solve many of these challenges, to find out more.
Mobile batteries and clean generators offer a flexible and scalable solution to meet these temporary energy demands. This mobile energy infrastructure can be quickly deployed in congested areas to relieve pressure on the grid and reduce waitlists for grid connections.
Two of the four battery containers delivering congestion management services
Supporting Grid Operators In The Transition To Clean Power
By integrating mobile batteries onto the electricity grid, grid operators can:
Balance supply and demand more effectively, to ensure reliability during periods of high demand.
Reduce curtailment of renewable energy sources like wind and solar, supporting sustainability goals.
Most importantly: reduce the waitlist and waiting time for grid connection upgrades.
Correct contracts are key
A crucial part of this project was to test new contract structures, such as a capacity-constraining contract (CBC) combined with a Redispatch contract. The combination of these two contract types enable Alliander to limit battery charging during congestion, and through the Redispatch contract, request energy when needed.
Collaboration Made It Possible
This successful project would not have been possible without the dedication and expertise of our partners, including Alliander, A Consultancy Company, Shared Energy Platform, Eddy Grid, Green Battery, and Atlas Copco Rental Solutions. Together, we have demonstrated the power of innovation and collaboration in creating a sustainable and resilient energy future.
Scaling for the Future
This project serves as a blueprint for what is possible on a larger scale. By offering mobile batteries and other clean mobile energy solutions as options for grid operators, we ensure that congestion management becomes more flexible, cost-efficient, and environmentally friendly. The lessons learned will drive further innovation and adoption of these solutions in the Netherlands and beyond.
