Good news for the Dronter Energy Storage (in Dutch: “Dronter Energie Opslag) project. The zoning plan for this initiative became irrevocable on the 20th of June this year. This zoning plan allows for a large-scale energy storage system north of the transformer substation of Windplan Groen. The project is located in the municipality of Dronten. The plan area covers about 6 hectares. The project has three collaborating initiators: GreenPowerBank Dronten B.V. (Begro), FlevoBESS B.V. and Pure Energie.

Ventolines is coordinating the collaboration between the three initiators, including supervising the zoning plan amendment, permits and acquisition of the land.

The zoning plan was adopted by the Dronten municipal council on the 25th of April 2024 and was subsequently available for inspection from the 9th of May to the 19th of June. No appeals were lodged with the Council of State during this period. This completes the procedure for the zoning plan. It is an important milestone for the initiators that the zoning plan is irrevocable. The frameworks to be met by the energy storage project have thus been established.

The initiative provides storage capacity for sustainably generated electricity. The energy storage system will help the to deliver local renewable generation from wind farms and the solar farm to the national high-voltage grid more gradually, reducing peaks and troughs caused by weather-dependent generation in the electricity grid. It fits the growing need for flexibility in the electricity market and contributes to the transition to a robust, stable and sustainable energy supply in the Netherlands.

The project consists of two phases, with the plan area in the first phase to be equipped with an energy storage system with an area of 3 hectares and a capacity of about.100 megawatts (MW). The second phase, also covering an area of 3 hectares, will start later.

Besides the responsibility for the zoning plan, Ventolines is supervising the collaboration between the initiators. An important part of this is agreeing the connection and transport agreement with the adjacent closed distribution system and the associated energy management system (EMS). Furthermore, Ventolines is working on the engineering and contracting of all joint facilities, such as the cables for the grid connection, the access road, water management and landscaping. In addition, Ventolines is handling the legal structuring and establishment of the joint entity.

After acquiring the necessary permits for the construction of the project and the required financial close, the realisation of the energy storage system will start.