Photo by Arteum.ro on Unsplash
TenneT invested a record € 4 billion ($4.3 billion) in the expansion and maintenance of its grids last year.
Meeting current climate objectives requires fundamental changes to the planning, operation and configuration of the whole electricity system. To this end, TenneT is making investments and intensifying the smart use of its grids.
Looking ahead, the steep increase in the production of renewable electricity and the electrification of society means TenneT will increase its output towards a minimum annual investment level of € 6 billion ($6.6 million) by 2025, the company said in a press release.
TenneT managed to maintain a very high grid availability of 99.99999% overall. At the same time, TenneT is fully aware of the congestion issues on the Dutch grid and the restrictions on new customers currently seeking connection to the electricity grid. Together with its stakeholders, TenneT is working hard to address this.
TenneT is already delivering projects to drive the energy transition in Europe. Commercial operations of the NordLink cable began in 2021, connecting Germany and Norway through a 623-km (387-mile) subsea cable. When electricity prices in Germany are high due to limited wind or sun, consumers benefit from lower-priced hydroelectric power from Norway. This ‘green link’ can supply more than 3.6 million German households with renewable electricity, the company said in a press release.
TenneT is developing and building a grid ready for a fossil-free energy system by 2045: the Target Grid.
“Even as we work at speed to build and maintain our grid for a fossil-free future, demand for grid capacity in the here and now is also growing fast,” said Manon van Beek, CEO of TenneT.
“Linear growth alone cannot solve this squeeze, and we are looking at many ways to make smarter use of our existing grid as well as investing much time and effort into so-called system thinking. The latter involves holistic solutions and systemic planning for the entire energy system and is a real leap forward for the energy transition,” continued van Beek. “To this end, we are focusing on faster project delivery, proactive planning, and innovative solutions. In this context, I would like to thank the many experts and partners who dedicated themselves to developing the Target Grid and the Wind Power Booster.”
Source: TenneT
