In the Dutch province of Gelderland, a large-scale battery energy storage project has been commissioned to strengthen a collective energy hub serving local greenhouse growers. The project, known as Lingezegen BESS, is located in the municipality of Lingewaard and was brought online on 1 March. The battery has a capacity of over 15 MW and enables locally generated renewable energy to be stored and deployed flexibly.
The investment brings together public and private parties: Oost NL contributed funding through the Gelders Klimaatfonds (Gelderland Climate Fund), alongside the Nationaal Groenfonds (National Green Fund) and Rabobank.
© Oost NL
From solar roof to energy system
Lingezegen Energy is a cooperative structure connecting greenhouse growers in the area, all of whom generate renewable electricity using rooftop solar panels. Until now, local generation frequently ran into constraints on the electricity grid. With the battery in place, surplus electricity can be stored during peak production periods and released when demand is high.
"The battery is an important next step in our development into a fully functioning energy hub," says Berno Schouten, manager of Lingezegen Energy. "We can now not only generate renewable electricity locally, but also store and deploy it intelligently. We are also exploring Power-to-X applications. This increases the reliability and affordability of energy supply for our growers and for the regional energy system."
Addressing grid congestion
Grid congestion has become an increasing obstacle for businesses and housing development across Gelderland. By drawing electricity off the grid during periods of oversupply and feeding it back during shortages, the battery helps relieve pressure on the network. This creates capacity for further sustainability efforts and economic development in the region.
"This project demonstrates how energy storage can play a key role in resolving grid congestion and strengthening the regional economy," says Joka Bosch, investment manager at Oost NL. "We are investing in a collective energy system that is scalable and delivers significant societal value."
Public-private partnership
The project is financed by a consortium of public and private parties, including the National Green Fund, Rabobank and the Gelderland Climate Fund, which is managed by Oost NL. For the commercial operation of the battery, Lingezegen Energy works together with AgroEnergy (part of Eneco), which deploys the battery in various energy markets.
Source: Oost NL
