From left to right: Luc Van Rooijen – EPICo², Eiso Vaandrager – Dispatch, Hans Vink – Dispatch, Mark van Zon – ABN AMRO, Jeroen Zanders – Macquarie Capital. Photographer: Anne Kære Fotografie
NETHERLANDS, 12 June 2024 – Dispatch, a leading Dutch battery developer, is going to construct the Netherlands’ largest stand-alone Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). This groundbreaking 45MW/ 90Mh utility-scale BESS will be located in the port area of Dordrecht, on a 6000m² site and will be used for grid stabilization by storing excess energy from renewable sources. Construction is set to commence in the coming months and arranged in partnership with infrastructure fund EPICo², Macquarie Capital and lender ABN AMRO.
This project marks the first of many in a strategic alliance between Dispatch and Macquarie Capital aimed at developing up to 3GWh of BESS projects across the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany over the next seven years.
Battery Storage as enabler of the energy transition
To fully utilize the potential of renewable energy, battery storage technology is becoming crucial for balancing supply and demand in the electricity grid. BESS systems store energy generated from renewable sources like solar and wind, releasing it during periods of high demand or when production dips. Thereby they ensure a steady and reliable energy supply. The battery, consisting of 144 Fluence cubes, has a capacity of 90MWh and will on average store enough energy supply equivalent for 21,500 households per day. With this capacity we will improve the balance of the electricity grid, reduce the chances of a blackout, and make more efficient use of the energy generated by wind and solar. Equans Netherlands will take charge of the engineering and construction of the battery storage system. Eneco will optimize the battery to maintain this balance without increasing local congestion.
3D rendering of the BESS
On a mission to resolve The Netherland’s grid challenges
“Large-scale energy storage is the missing link in the energy transition,” said Eiso Vaandrager, Co-Founder of Dispatch. “There is an urgent need in Europe for maintaining a balanced energy grid, this will grow significantly in the next couple of years with the further integration of intermittent renewable energy sources like wind and solar. The project in The Netherlands will positively contribute to the grid challenges, however the large-scale deployment of energy storage in Netherlands is still hampered by high grid fees compared to our neighboring countries. Our partnership with Macquarie Capital underscores our commitment to accelerating this crucial transition through innovative battery energy storage solutions. With the additional support of EPICo² and ABN AMRO, we are well-positioned to drive the development of critical energy infrastructure in Europe.”
Jeroen Zanders, Managing Director for Macquarie Capital in the Benelux region, shared his enthusiasm: “We are excited to be partnering with Dispatch and EPICo² to support the needed investment for a new BESS in the Netherlands. The Dutch battery market is currently under-developed and with the race to net zero, it is an increasingly important component for renewables in the energy mix.”
Luc Van Rooijen, Fund Manager of EPICo², said: “Epico² is delighted to support Dispatch in the building of this battery storage project, helping in this way to realise the energy transition and to build the energy system of tomorrow. By teaming up with Dispatch and Macquarie Capital, we can accelerate the development of energy-infrastructure in the Benelux.”
Mark van Zon, Director Project Finance for ABN AMRO commented: “ABN AMRO is proud to support Dispatch, Macquarie Capital and EPICo², in their construction of the largest standalone battery storage system in our home market. We believe battery storage systems will play a crucial role in the energy transition in the Netherlands and in Europe, and as a bank we are keen to enable technologies that facilitate this transition.”
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