Zeewolde Wind Farm Partners with Rabobank and Eneco to Deliver Community-Owned Battery Park

Zeewolde Wind Farm Partners with Rabobank and Eneco to Deliver Community-Owned Battery Park

(IN BRIEF) Zeewolde wind farm has partnered with Rabobank and Eneco to advance the construction of a large-scale battery park with a 65 MWh capacity, set to be among the largest in the Netherlands. Rabobank will fund the project through a bank loan, while Eneco will optimize battery use with wind-generated energy to reduce grid strain. Covering 2000 m², the battery park will ease grid congestion in Flevoland and store enough energy to power 12,000 households annually. Ownership will remain with the local community via the cooperative De Nieuwe Molenaars. The project, which began with local funding, is expected to be completed by autumn 2025.

(PRESS RELEASE) AMSTERDAM, 30-Nov-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Zeewolde wind farm has forged key partnerships with Rabobank and Eneco to advance the development of a groundbreaking battery park, boasting a storage capacity of 65 Megawatt hours (MWh). Once operational, it will rank among the largest battery parks in the Netherlands. Rabobank will play a pivotal role by providing a bank loan to fund the project, while Eneco will oversee market optimisation for the battery. Eneco plans to utilise wind-generated energy to charge the battery, helping to alleviate strain on the power grid.

Spanning an area of 2000 m², the battery park is being constructed adjacent to a transformer station serving three wind farms near Zeewolde. Its innovative design will offer much-needed flexibility, easing grid congestion across the province of Flevoland and contributing to the acceleration of the energy transition. On an annual basis, the energy stored in the battery park is expected to match the electricity consumption of approximately 12,000 households.

Sjoerd Sieburgh Sjoerdsma, speaking on behalf of Zeewolde wind farm, highlighted the collaborative nature of the project: “Construction commenced in July, with Rolls-Royce Power Systems as our contractor. Interestingly, the initial phase of the project was funded entirely by local residents, demonstrating the entrepreneurial spirit of our community. As we entered the final stages, we sought strong partners to bring the project to completion, and we’re delighted to have Rabobank and Eneco on board.”

Eneco’s representative, Lucien Wiegers, emphasised the broader impact of the partnership: “The growth of renewable energy demands innovative solutions for grid management. Collaborating with Zeewolde wind farm allows us to harness the potential of this battery park to benefit the local community while accelerating the transition to sustainable energy.”

Rabobank’s Hans Ketelaars underscored the alignment of this project with the bank’s sustainability goals: “Rabobank is deeply committed to facilitating the energy transition, with an ambition to invest at least 30 billion euros into this effort in the coming years. From retrofitting homes for energy efficiency to supporting circular innovations, our initiatives aim to drive meaningful change. Supporting the Zeewolde battery park perfectly complements our mission.”

Community-Centric Ownership

In a distinctive move, the ownership of the battery park will remain in the hands of the local community. Residents of Zeewolde have been invited to join the energy cooperative De Nieuwe Molenaars, ensuring their direct involvement in the project’s long-term success. The battery park is slated for completion by autumn 2025, marking a significant milestone in sustainable energy solutions for the region.

Media Contact:

Rianne de Voogt
Senior woordvoerder
rianne.devoogt@eneco.com
+31 6 11418016

Source: Eneco