Linkup demand from horticultural businesses remains high

06-03-2009 The temporary scheme for horticultural businesses in the Westland region of the Netherlands, which makes it possible to supply power back to the electricity grid, has become official. On 5 March 2009, grid administrators TenneT en Westland Infra, LTO Glaskracht (representing horticultural businesses) and a number of energy suppliers signed a covenant to that end. In addition, construction has started of a new high-voltage substation in De Lier, which will considerably increase grid availability next year. Demand from horticultural business remains high with 106 linkup applications received.

In 2005, 2006 and 2007, a large number of horticultural businesses applied for a linkup to the grid. In the spring of 2007, this created a queue due to shortages in transport capacity on the grid, so it was not possible for all horticultural businesses to return power to the electricity grid. As expansions to the grid are delayed by formal procedures, forces were combined to come up with a temporary, quick solution in order to increase available capacity. To this end, a congestion management system was quickly set up, redistributing capacity when availability is limited. Horticultural businesses receive a net compensation for their cooperation in preventing congestion.

The covenant comes into force with retrospective effect from 1 December 2008. The first figures indicate that 11 horticultural businesses have been linked up. Their combined production capacity totals 26 MW. A further 95 horticultural businesses are currently working on being linked up.

Physical grid expansion in the region
In addition to the temporary system, the Westland region is also the scene of physical grid expansions. The first expansion is set to take place in May 2009 with the commissioning of an additional transformer. New connections and high-voltage substations are also currently under construction and are expected to be completed by mid-2010. On 5 March 2009, Alderman Duijvestijn of the Westland Municipality initiated the breaking ground ceremony in De Lier, where TenneT will realise a new high-voltage substation.

Nationwide approach in tackling shortages
The Westland is the first region in the Netherlands where shortages in transport capacity on the grid are tackled with a temporary solution. This coincides with a nationwide approach to compensate shortages when grid expansions are not completed in time. To this end, the Minister of Economic Affairs, Mrs van der Hoeven, is working on a legal priority scheme for sustainable energy. She has also requested the Dutch Lower House to create better opportunities to link up new parties.