A Dutch and German perspective on the power grid capacity crunch

As Europe’s energy transition accelerates, the demands on distribution grids are reaching unprecedented levels. For countries like the Netherlands and Germany, this has been especially true, with DSOs grappling with connection bottlenecks, capacity limits, and the challenge of integrating distributed energy resources.

But how do the two countries compare, and how do we make Europe’s distribution grids truly resilient, flexible, and future-ready?

To help unpack that, Yusuf Latief sits down with Oliver Franz, E.ON’s Vice President of European Regulation, and Alco de Lange, a Strategic Advisor for the energy sector at Stedin.

In this episode of the Energy Transitions podcast, you will learn more about: 

• The three key issues where the resilience of the grid needs to be strengthened: cybersecurity, physical resilience, and climate change;
• How battery storage and data centres in Germany were the “two new kids on the block”, requiring new approaches to consumption management;
• What led to the power congestion crunch in the Netherlands and how the country is re-approaching connection queues;
• The role of digitalisation and data in making effective grid investment decisions;
• A comparison of new congestion management methods between the Netherlands and Germany;
• The role of flexibility in solving grid issues and whether we will see a future with a resilient grid that can cope with all stresses.

LISTEN NOW

Check out the latest Energy Transitions episodes: 
EVs are the logical choice for future energy system says Herbert Diess
The good, bad and ugly of CBAM implementation

Read more on the power grid: 
Green Industrial Grids Association to accelerate Europe’s grid modernisation
IEA urges grid and flexibility plan to meet electricity boom
German government buys TenneT stake to bolster grid plans