More than one hundred thousand homes in the city have to get such a heat pump. But that is, according to professor of Energie David Smeulders, a decent job: “It is a huge pump that you have to get into the house, people in Amsterdam cannot always say that in their home.” But an even more important point is the electricity grid to which those pumps must be connected.
“That will encounter a border. You can’t hang all those heat pumps if the electricity grid is not satisfactory.” It is clear that the power grid is fuller and fuller, it has been about it several times in recent months. And the alderman knows that too. She emphasizes that she did not go ice overnight: “Everything you do in a busy city like Amsterdam is complicated, this too.” But no pause button should be pressed when it comes to climate change. “We have to work out to expel less CO₂ as quickly as possible.”
Reserved, but not yet turn
Pels is acting more actively than before when it comes to encouraging these pumps, the plans that were only planned in a few years are being planned. “You in close consultation with the network operator because that may also mean something for their planning.”
Liander also sees that, there is a good communication. But the network operator also says that there is a greater risk that the power grid will be overflowing even faster if there are more heat pumps: “Together with the municipality we are looking for ways to still take steps.”
“And you don’t want that, but the alderman will understand that,” says Smeulders. “But,” he punctually, “it only makes it an even bigger problem if plans are brought forward. It may be reserved, but Liander assumes that it can wait for years, while Amsterdam wants to do this next year . “