National, regional and local governments should allocate more space above and below ground for the rapid expansion of the electricity grid. Network operator Stedin makes this call.
Presenting its annual report, Stedin said it invested €687 million in managing and maintaining gas and electricity networks in the past calendar year. Although this is a record for Stedin, further acceleration of the energy transition is needed to keep pace with climate and economic growth ambitions.
Scarcity of all kinds
One of the rarities that Studdin is increasingly facing is the lack of space to expand the power grid. According to the network operator, more space above and below ground should be reserved in time for this.
On the matter, Koen Bogers, CEO of Stedin Group, said: “The Stedin catchment area is a magnet for economic development and activity. Renewing the power grid to make these developments possible will take years. We are increasingly facing all kinds of scarcity. Consider options Limited funding, but also think about the lack of suitable materials and professionals. We also see in our gathering area that limited physical space hinders the speed of energy transmission. But acceleration is required now. Until 2030, we will build 2 to 4 large distribution stations per year. This is on average 3 times what it was before.
shortening the timeout
Stedin Group is calling on the new government, provinces, regional energy strategies and municipalities to pay more attention, along with network operators, to the space required to build and expand the power grid. Reserving space for electrical cables and stations is necessary for the construction of new residential complexes, commercial complexes and data centers, but also for areas identified in Regional Energy Strategies (RES) for solar panels and wind turbines. As a result, the conversation with the environment, land purchases, and changes in zoning plans can begin early. According to Steden, this shortens the overall time required to build a distribution station, so consumers and business can be connected more quickly.
You will owe: 600 megawatts of solar panels connectedIn the past calendar year, Stedin reported that it had connected 600 MW of solar panels and 69 MW of wind turbines in the provinces of South Holland, Utrecht and Zeeland. Solar Magazine editors previously reported that the installed capacity of solar panels in Stedin’s work area among consumers has grown to a peak of 988.6 MW (ed. 1,177.5 MW including Zeeland County). By 2030, Steden expects to deliver approximately 6 gigawatts of sustainable generation from wind turbines and rooftop solar panels. This requires 1,850 kilometers of medium voltage cable. This is roughly the distance between Rotterdam and Lisbon. In addition, a large part of the main distribution stations must be upgraded and hundreds of new transformer homes are required. This is calculated based on the current climate agreement. More ambitious goals for Europe than “Fit for 55” and the new alliance agreement are not included in this. |
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