Novar will reduce the feed-in of solar power from two large solar parks into the Groningen high-voltage grid during peak demand periods. Repowered is responsible for the implementation and commercial management of the contracts. In this way, they are working together to prevent overloading of the regional high-voltage grid and are making room for work on the expansion of TenneT’s grid.
Repowered and Novar are making 307 MWp of solar farms available
Repowered and Novar have signed capacity-limiting contracts (CBCs) with TenneT for two of the largest solar parks in the Netherlands: Vloeivelden Hollandia Solar Park (115 megawatts peak (MWp)) in Nieuw-Buinen and Eekerpolder Solar Park (192 MWp) in Scheemda. A CBC is one of the flexible contract types designed to encourage businesses to use the power grid more efficiently. Solar parks with a CBC reduce the feed-in of their solar power during peak demand on the grid. They receive compensation for doing so.
Dimming to create space for work
Consumers and businesses are increasingly using electric vehicles, electric heating, and renewable energy generation, and are feeding more and more electricity into the grid. Because demand for capacity on the grid is growing much faster than grid operators can expand it, the electricity grid has reached its maximum capacity virtually everywhere in the Netherlands. To meet the demand from households and businesses, TenneT and the regional grid operators are working in many areas to upgrade and expand the grid.
Emma van der Veen, Systems & Markets Manager at TenneT:
“To ensure safe working conditions, power must be cut off from the grid at those locations. It is then rerouted via another connection so that households and businesses do not lose power. To prevent these connections from becoming overloaded, TenneT also utilizes the capabilities of a CBC during these times. Thanks to the new contract for the Eekerpolder Solar Park, TenneT has a bit more flexibility to disconnect connections and carry out much-needed work, even during peak grid demand.”
Dimming for a Reliable Power Grid
Most solar power in the Netherlands is generated in the spring and summer between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. During these times, grid operators transmit enormous amounts of solar power to areas where it is consumed. Sometimes, both consumers with solar panels and large solar rooftops and solar parks feed so much solar power into the grid that the maximum capacity is at risk of being exceeded. This can lead to power outages. This also occurs on the regional high-voltage grid to which the Vloeivelden Hollandia Solar Park is connected. Thanks to Novar’s assistance, TenneT can reduce the feed-in of solar power at such times, ensuring that the power grid remains safe and reliable.
Cast
Novar owns the Vloeivelden Hollandia and Eekerpolder solar farms, while Repowered acts as an independent Congestion Service Provider (CSP) and handles the implementation and commercial management of the contracts. These contracts determine how much transmission capacity is available at the connection point. During periods of extreme grid congestion, TenneT may temporarily curtail production. This can be done on demand or at pre-agreed times. The compensation for the solar parks is based on the lost production, including subsidies and a surcharge, which provides a stable revenue stream.
Dirk Jan Masselink, director of Repowered:
“The pleasant collaboration with Novar and TenneT is a great example of how Repowered operates as a CSP. TenneT’s request is automatically processed via the GOPACS congestion platform and forwarded to the park-specific systems, ensuring that the load reduction takes place quickly and reliably without manual intervention. In this way, we help prevent grid overload and give TenneT more flexibility to carry out its operations.”
About Repowered
Repowered is a smart energy provider that gives owners of large-scale commercial energy connections insight into and control over their energy. By balancing supply and demand, providing expert advice, and intelligently managing assets, Repowered helps companies get the most out of their energy. Since its founding in 2019 in Groningen, Repowered, as part of the Novar Group, has over 400 MW of controllable energy under contract and manages more than 150 operational batteries throughout the Netherlands. With offices in Amsterdam and Groningen, the company works to deliver sustainable energy at the right time, in the right place, and at the right price.
About Novar
Novar is making the world a better place through sustainable energy. We develop large-scale solar parks, energy storage solutions, and smart distribution systems, delivering clean energy at the right time, in the right place, and at the right price. Operating in the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Sweden, we focus on “On Demand Energy”: the combination of generation, storage, and intelligent control for a self-sufficient European economy. Our ambition: 7 GW developed by 2035—clean, smart, and on an ever-larger scale.
About TenneT
TenneT is the national transmission system operator for the high-voltage grid in the Netherlands and a key player in the energy transition. The company is working to create a reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy system for the future.
