Grid congestion is putting increasing pressure on the horticulture sector this year. The waiting list for a new grid connection has now grown to more than 15,000 businesses, while the number of energy storage systems (ESS) in the sector has doubled in a short period of time. For a growing number of growers, an energy storage system is not only a way to deal with an overloaded electricity grid, but also a way to manage their own generation and consumption more flexibly, helping them maintain control over their energy management even when the market is unpredictable.
Tomato grower Bryte, based in the Westland region, faced a familiar challenge. “We have a large grid connection, but we only use it intensively for lighting for about six months of the year,” explains co-owner Tom Zwinkels. “During the other six months, sunlight is cheaper than using the grow lights. Yet you still pay for the entire electrical infrastructure twelve months a year.”
At the same time, the solar panels on the roofs of the company’s buildings generate electricity that Bryte would rather not feed back into the grid at extremely low prices. “In that case, you might as well store it in your own battery and use it yourself later.”
For Bryte, this was primarily an opportunity to create a well-designed, flexible solution. An unpredictable energy market requires flexibility, and unlike a CHP system, a battery can be deployed within seconds.
One design, three specialists
Stolze has been Bryte’s trusted system integrator for many years and was involved from the very first discussions. Together with Anexo, responsible for medium-voltage systems and transformers, and battery supplier Aquasol Solar, Stolze Utility Account Manager René Zoutendijk mapped out the possibilities.
Space was the biggest challenge. At the Westland site, a total battery storage capacity of 11 MWh, distributed across several installations, had to be positioned at least 10 metres from the building façade due to fire safety requirements. By installing the battery systems modularly at different locations across the site and carefully weighing up the AC and DC cabling requirements for each location, the partners were able to develop one integrated design instead of three separate plans.
“What makes this project special is the genuine collaboration between the battery supplier, the transformer specialist and ourselves,” says René. “We were involved from the very beginning and worked together to create one design for the customer with the best possible solution.”
Bas Krul of Anexo, which was responsible for the medium-voltage systems and transformers, also sees this collaboration as key to the project’s success:
“The strength of this project lies in the integrated design. By approaching the battery installation, transformers and medium-voltage infrastructure as one complete solution from the very first phase, we were able to design a future-proof energy system that fits within the available space and is ready for further sustainability measures. At Anexo, we believe in a practical, no-nonsense approach, using our expertise in medium-voltage systems, transformers and energy flows to help customers solve their energy challenges in a smart and reliable way. It was precisely this close collaboration between all the parties involved that enabled us to create a solution for Bryte that is technically sound and flexible enough to meet future needs.”
For Richard Nieuwenhuizen of Aquasol Solar, the biggest challenge was making optimal use of the limited space available on site:
“Installing 11 MWh of battery storage at a site with limited space requires a different way of thinking from the outset. The comprehensive feasibility study carried out by Samax certainly helped us develop a master plan. By installing the battery systems modularly and distributing them across the site, we were able to make maximum use of the available space without compromising on safety or reliability. By combining the expertise of Aquasol Solar, Stolze and Anexo, we created a solution that may initially have seemed impossible, but ultimately proved entirely achievable. That is something we at Aquasol Solar are proud of.”
Pascal Lakerveld of Samax, which carried out the feasibility study and now manages the battery system on a daily basis, also emphasises the importance of collaborating from an early stage:
“By carrying out a feasibility study together with Stolze, Aquasol Solar and Anexo in advance, we arrived at one master plan instead of three separate plans. This gave us the opportunity to size the battery precisely according to Bryte’s actual consumption profile and grid connection: not too large, because then it would frequently remain unused, and not too small, because that would limit flexibility. We now manage the system on a daily basis, ensuring that Bryte gets the maximum benefit from everything the system has to offer.”
Stolze: a system integrator that grows with its customers
For Tom, this collaboration is exactly why he keeps coming back: “What you see is what you get. No hidden agendas, just doing what you say and saying what you do. Stolze has grown alongside us. I continue to see the same motivation and passion, even now that more specialists have joined the team.”
Ready to explore energy storage for your business?
Whether you are considering an energy storage system, need support with the AC-side connection of a battery system, or would like advice on how to gain greater control in the face of grid congestion, Stolze’s Utility team is ready to work with you from the very first conversation. Contact René Zoutendijk (sales@stolze.nl) and discover which solution best suits your company’s energy needs.
