Enexis wants trading with home batteries on the imbalance market to be restricted because the capacity of the low-voltage grid is limited. In addition, the grid operator calls for an emergency measure.
The grid operator of the provinces of Groningen, Drenthe, Overijssel, Noord-Brabant and Limburg has issued a vision for home batteries and in it advocates mainly the use of home batteries to increase the self-consumption of power from solar panels.
Own consumption
'Home batteries are playing an increasing role in the energy transition,' said Carolijn Schoofs, manager of network innovation at Enexis Group. 'They help store your own generated solar energy, for example, and consuming as much of your own generation as possible is top. But there are also challenges: the payback period is uncertain and, if used incorrectly, home batteries can even overload the grid. Want a home battery that doesn't overload the grid? Then make sure you use it to store your own generated energy and not to control national imbalance. That way you contribute safely to a flexible and sustainable energy system.'
Dynamic rates
Enexis says it fears that home batteries will increase pressure on the power grid, because a home battery can also be used to balance the national power grid. 'This 'steering for - passive - imbalance' has a big impact on our local power grid,' Enexis said. 'Depending on the purpose for which home batteries are deployed, home batteries can exacerbate grid congestion and even cause a power outage.'
The grid operator points out that if many homes in a neighborhood use home batteries, the local power grid could become overloaded and a blackout could occur.
Emergency measure
Enexis therefore advocates - in line with An earlier call from Netbeheer Nederland - for making new policy in the form of clear rules for control of home batteries. 'The grid operator must be able to control home batteries as an emergency measure to prevent grid failure,' the grid operator said. 'A proper registration requirement - via energieleveren.nl - is necessary to create insight into what is and is not possible per household or neighborhood.'
And Enexis is looking into more measures. 'The low-voltage grid is an important part of our electricity network, but its capacity is limited. After all, they are the capillaries of our electricity grid. Therefore, we are investigating how we can limit the control of imbalance in this part of the grid so that it remains reliable and affordable.'
The grid operator concludes with the following appeal: 'Use the home battery only to increase own energy generation and smart purchasing based on dynamic tariffs, and do not use the battery to control - passive - imbalance.'
Source: Solarmagazine - post Oct. 9, 2024