Enexis, the manager of the electricity and gas grid in Drenthe, among other places, no longer wants to connect new solar parks in areas where there are few or no electricity consumers.
The regional grid operator announced today that last year a record amount of more than one billion euros was spent on grid reinforcement. But it is not enough: where companies and energy cooperatives were guaranteed access to the grid for years, grid managers can no longer offer that certainty.
Solar parks, jokingly referred to as ‘kilowatt bangers’ by Sanders, are particularly responsible for this. The load they place on the grid makes it increasingly difficult for other companies to connect. In its annual report, the company calls this a ‘mismatch between supply and demand of transport capacity’ that is expected to persist in the coming years.
In fact, Enexis currently has no extra space available at all, a spokesperson emphasizes to the ANP. But if that opportunity comes up again, the organization wants to be able to focus on connections that help customers in the area. Enexis is not yet legally allowed to make that choice, which is why it is calling on the government to make this legally possible.
In addition to solar parks, the grid is becoming increasingly full due to the arrival of wind turbines, charging stations, heat pumps and the sustainability plans of the industry. Due to the high gas prices, customers of the network operator have recently switched to electricity faster than expected.
For Drenthe, it has been known for some time that new and existing companies that want to expand are hampered by the overcrowded electricity grid. The limits of what the high-voltage grid can handle have been reached, Tennet and Enexis stated last November.