The Dutch energy storage company Boltainer is making great strides. The combination of battery and EMS helps solve grid congestion and increases energy security. Often the energy bill goes down as well.
Boltainer supplies complete energy storage systems, including hardware and proprietary Dutch software. Some 40 clients now use the systems, together accounting for more than 25 megawatt hours of battery capacity.
In 2021, Orlando de Jonge, along with associate Kevin Dankers, launched Boltainer. 'There is huge demand for stationary batteries that allow you to do optimization behind the meter,' says De Jonge. 'That usually has two reasons: solve grid congestion and reduce energy bills.'
Cybersecurity
About Boltainer's batteries, De Jonge says, "They are made to our specifications in China and meet the international safety standard IEC 62933 and the Dutch directive PGS 37-1. Immediately after arriving in the Netherlands, we put in a gateway with a 4G modem and replace the Chinese software with our own. We do that for cybersecurity reasons, but it also gives us the ability to update the batteries, or to shut down systems in case of calamities. So we solve physical bottlenecks in the grid, while also ensuring that control of energy infrastructure remains in Dutch hands.'
Consuming power directly
One way to reduce grid congestion is to use self-generated power directly. No electricity from an energy supplier is then needed. De Jonge explains: 'By steering smartly, based on data from KNMI and data that predict the user's energy demand, we can control all components of the configuration in real time, such as the battery, solar panels, but also, for example, charging stations. This allows companies to make optimal use of kilowatt hours. Space is created on the grid connection, and so it is by no means always necessary to request a larger (and much more expensive) grid connection.'
Increasing grid stability
Installers can become partners with Boltainer. They will then receive training and can count on support and advice. 'We do a lot for our partners,' says De Jonge. 'That ranges from simulation advice to help with connecting the EMS to concluding energy contracts. We also install ourselves. At the moment we mainly take care of large projects, but we expect installers to be able to take more and more work off our hands in the future. Then we want to focus on growth, both in the Netherlands and abroad. Because grid congestion is also a problem elsewhere in Europe. Our batteries can help increase grid stability there too.'
Storing energy smartly
We are becoming increasingly dependent on renewable energy, which is less predictable than fossil, De Jonge said. 'This creates fluctuations in energy prices. It is then important to make sure that you optimize behind the meter and take advantage of those price fluctuations as much as possible. We are moving towards a world with all kinds of micro-energy companies, in which decentralized generated energy is cleverly stored, controlled and traded. Nice to be able to play a role in that with Boltainer.'
