TenneT said the accelerating shift from coal and gas to solar and wind power is increasing variability in electricity supply, making system flexibility more important for maintaining grid stability.
The transmission operator said large-scale batteries can store surplus renewable energy and deliver it back to the system when needed. According to TenneT, batteries can also generate revenue on balancing markets, support congestion management and provide system services such as maintaining grid balance and voltage regulation.
Co-locating batteries with wind or solar projects helps reduce grid pressure by avoiding additional network connections and lowering costs, the company said.
TenneT noted that demand for long-duration energy storage is rising, even though deployment of such technology remains limited. The company cited the Security of Supply Monitor 2025, which estimates that 5–7GW of battery capacity could be economically viable in the Netherlands by 2030, increasing to 14–27GW by 2050.
To support planning, TenneT said it is preparing an overview of substations where TDTR (Time-Differentiated Transport Rights) capacity is available, helping governments determine how much space to reserve for future storage projects. “National and regional authorities want clarity on how much room to allocate and where battery projects should ideally be developed,” the company said.
TenneT warned that batteries responding solely to market signals can place additional stress on the grid, and said it uses tools such as congestion management, capacity-steering contracts and TDTR to ensure system value.
The operator said battery economics in the Netherlands face pressure due to high transmission charges and an uneven playing field with Belgium and Germany. TenneT added that “viable returns in the Netherlands are currently mainly possible through the TDTR contract, which uses residual grid capacity.”
