Dutch Take Emergency Measures As Electricity Network Is Nearly Exhausted
By Paul Homewood
h/t Dennis Ambler
The Netherlands will take “extraordinary” measures to reduce stress on the national grid caused by electricity demand and supply reaching similar levels, such as proposing incentives for large companies to use less electricity at peak times, outgoing Dutch Energy Minister Rob Jetten (D66/Renew) announced on Wednesday.
Earlier this year, the country’s grid operators warned that the electricity network was almost exhausted in all provinces, mainly due to the growing demand for heat pumps, solar panels and charging stations for electric vehicles – a problem shared by many other European countries.
“Despite substantial investments by grid operators and previous measures, the power grid is reaching its limits in more and more places,” Jetten stated in a letter to parliament.
“Without action, this seriously impacts our sustainable ambitions and economy. That is why we are now taking new measures that go off track to accelerate the expansion of the power grid and create more space,” he added.
From 2023, the country’s grid operators will double their investment in the power grid from the current €4 billion to €8 billion.
The new measures seek to incentivise large electricity consumers to reduce their consumption during “peak hours” between 4 pm and 8 pm to prevent blackouts, as both industrial and household consumption is exceptionally high during that time frame.
Under the new measures, large consumers will pay less for electricity if they reduce consumption during these hours, while excess consumption would conversely lead to higher prices.
https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/dutch-take-measures-to-reduce-grid-stress/
The Netherlands still relies largely on coal and gas for its electricity, up to about 80% at times of low wind and high demand. If the grid cannot cope now, heaven knows how it will be able to when fossil fuels are abandoned.
https://www.energymonitor.ai/power/live-eu-electricity-generation-map/?cf-view&cf-closed
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NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT 
More and more Wind Farms, Solar Farms, Battery Farms, more and more power coming from further away through more complicated grids which are harder to balance, even on good days.
Hope they never need to defend this green energy in a war or even against foreign or domestic terrorists, including just hackers.
With fossil fuels, we still boiled stored water at home when nothing else worked.
The new measures seek to incentivize large electricity consumers to reduce their production during “peak hours” between 4 pm and 8 pm to prevent blackouts.
Or, they could move their production out of the country because they already have a problem competing with other countries who still increase use of fossil fuels, especially a most reliable, coal.
Oops, that has already been accomplished, read the labels, what can we still purchase that is not dependent on existing or potential enemies in any conflict or is not dependent on transportation that is at risk during any conflict.
Correct, mr theory.
‘The new measures seek to incentivise large electricity consumers to reduce their consumption during “peak hours” between 4 pm and 8 pm to prevent blackouts, as both industrial and household consumption is exceptionally high during that time frame.’
Gamecock worked in industry and power cost management for over 30 years. Unequivocally, demand control will not work. Whoever dreamed up these ‘measures’ is an ignoramus. This is Neville Chamberlain level stupid.
I agree with you, but … Neville Chamberlain was not stupid, he was very astute, waving that paper in 1938, gave us 11 months to re-arm.
He had seen what was coming in the early 1930s, but parliament was against any form of UK military build up. So in 1937 he quietly went behind the back of parliament to the major manufacturing companies to persuade them to start tooling up for arms production. Therefore, in 1939 (invasion of Poland ) we hit the ground running.
At the time of the 1938 Munich Agreement, Churchill wanted us to attack Germany !! If that had happened, Brits would all be speaking German.
Great story, 1saveenergy.
‘Sir Horace Wilson, confirmed many years later that the Policy of Appeasement “was never designed just to postpone war, or unable us to enter war more united. The aim of our appeasement was to avoid war altogether.”’
‘To be sure, Chamberlain might have had good reasons to try to postpone war as some historians claim. However, that by itself is hardly proof that Chamberlain’s appeasement policy was designed to achieve that goal. He acted and spoke, both in public and in private, on the assumption that an overall settlement of the conflict with Germany was possible, that war was preventable, and that German demands could be accommodated. The evidence in that regard, as we have seen, is clear.’
Look up ‘appeasement’ in the dictionary, and Chamberlains picture will be there.
“At the time of the 1938 Munich Agreement, Churchill wanted us to attack Germany !! If that had happened, Brits would all be speaking German.”
Absolutely false. 60,000,000 deaths could have been avoided had you attacked in 1938. Germany’s military was in no way prepared for attack by the probable allies, France, England, Poland and the Czechs.
But would the probable allies have become actual allies in 1938?
There are several key “what if” moments in recent history, the Treaty of Versailles (1919) being but one. The Treaty of Versailles virtually ensured that war would return to Europe; another example of how useless our Glorious Leaders can be.
The UK Grid is nearing similar collapses – Nat Grid will again run its ‘use less electricity at peak times for a few quid back’ scheme this winter – if you have a smart meter, they can even do it for you, whether you want to, or not
Energywise,
yet a well known EV and renewable generation You Tube channel had a myth busting video in which an expert from the National Grid said that the grid is fine and can easily cope with ev expansion. The crux is the definition of the ‘National Grid’, The transmission lines certainly had more demand some years ago but generation is another matter?
What the situation actually is I don’t know but I do know that the local area network is a huge problem with both evs and heat pumps being pushed by the government.
Hi Ian,
You are correct in your analysis – at a EHV transmission level, there is capacity – the UK used to have a large heavy industrial base that the grid infrastructure was able to supply
Generation capacity is a whole new problem – having closed many large base load stations (coal, gas & nuclear), the greenerati have concentrated on building grid supply from more & more useless, costly, intermittent renewables, with no accompanying storage systems, hence when the wind and sun don’t turn up, the grid relies on coal, gas & nuclear to keep the nations lights on
As an HV PM in the energy, power generation & distribution sectors for 40+ years, I know a thing or two about the potential calamity our nations electrical system is facing
The Govt closed large coal fired power stations and let large nuclear stations come to end of life, without building replacements, because in their net zero fantasies, they believed wind & solar were free and could power the UK as a direct replacement of coal, gas & nuclear – well I’m afraid that fantasy is becoming a nightmare
I have PM’d dozens of 20-30MW diesel & gas peaking plants, at 11kV & 33kV grid connections over recent years, as it became clear to Grid & Govt that renewables just simply cannot replace fossil fuel & nuclear power, without either sufficient, yet unaffordable and unsourceable, storage, or without additional gas, coal & nuclear to back up the renewables when the damned wind & sun weren’t there (which is very regularly)
So yes, a lack of reliable, secure, affordable generation is a massive problem facing Grid, Govt and consumers and on present trajectory, power outages and forced rationing may well be experienced in the months and years ahead as they plough on installing even more weather dependant renewable power – another reason why Grid are now applying pressure on you, the consumer, to switch off or move your power habits away from peak usage times – they will do this initially by offering cash backs, but, if you are on a smart meter, they can and no doubt will, start to force your consumption down, through high tariffs, or off completely, both by auto remote switching your meter
Distribution is another area that won’t cope with a mass surge of battery cars & heat pumps – the existing network cables, transformers etc will need significant costly and delayed upgrades, that of course you, as the consumer, will pay for in your standing charges
Net zero and it’s renewables, battery cars, heat pumps, smart meters etc will force more and more people into poverty, ill health, cold related deaths, homes ravaged with damp, black mould & legionnaires disease (from cooler temps) – it is a planned regression of living standards and for what? To transfer more wealth from the masses to the elites disguised as a solution to a climate problem that simply doesn’t exist
We should all despair, then say NO to the nut zero con
Seems that people are helping by rejecting battery cars and heat pumps, as well as refusing ‘smart’ meters.
Who saw that coming, 🙄🤷🏻♂️.
Certainly not our likely future energy secretary Ed Milliband. He still claims he will make the UK “fossil fuel” free by 2030. Save us from these imbeciles!
More diesel for the standby generator me thinks.
Just beware of “Diesel Bug” if you don’t keep it in sealed containers…
Use a Diesel Bug additive –
The one we use … https://www.graysfuels.co.uk/antibugkill
or
https://www.gaelforcemarine.co.uk/en/Marine-16-Diesel-Bug-Treatment/m-7258.aspx?awc=30601_1697843566_f60554f2d1d55b624fa1e1d3d32db717
https://www.pbo.co.uk/gear/12-diesel-bug-treatments-tested-43353
” the country’s grid operators warned that the electricity network was almost exhausted in all provinces”
Self-inflicted.
My view is that it should be possible to construct 5GW of coal-fired power stations per annum, perhaps a two year lead-in to site start for the first phase of the constructiion programme.
As a bonus, Holland is compact enough for local communities to benefit from heating (CHP)
You can just see what might happen when Governments interfere in the market. An enormous sum will be spent on strengthening the grid when along comes a non =-fossil fuel for ICE with no mileage problems and a clean exhaust.
Ammonia, according to Toyota
About as useful as unicorn farts.
You’ll need to check but I think that some ships are using ammonia to power their main engines according to gCaptain.
Combustion of ammonia poduces oxides of nitrogen , in various quantities dependent on combustion conditions :
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1540748918306345
“Science and technology of ammonia combustion”
Not really a totally clean exhaust although no doubt improvements are being sought .
Ammonia as a fuel stinks.
(intended)
Ammonia is toxic and requires special handling. But that’s not the big problem. It has 40% of the energy content of petrol. Or bunker crude. Requiring fuel tanks to be expanded 2.5X. Taking up cargo space on ships. Adding weight to cars.
And ammonia absorbs 13.3 times more IF than CO2.
John Tyndall 1861.
Wait until the Green gullible hear that.
Worldwide, by far the largest production of Ammonia uses Fossil Fuel derived Hydrogen as its feedstock, so its use only deflects attention away from the inherent contradictions that belie so many Green illusions.
Looks like it’s time to reinstall the “Dutch Cap”!
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/contraceptive-diaphragm-or-cap/#:~:text=A%20contraceptive%20diaphragm%20or%20cap,uterus)%20to%20fertilise%20an%20egg.
The Dutch used to have quite a lot of nuclear capacity. Gone with the wind.
I don’t think they did Phillip, the original Dodewaard plant was only 55MWe and closed in 1997. Borssele is their only ever larger reactor at 485MWe and only ever represented a small part of their grid being mainly used for a nearby aluminium smelter (as Wylfa was on Anglesey).
The good news is the Dutch government has authorised two new large PWRs to start construction following suitable approvals.
Well who would have thunk it…!
I wrote about this in a magazine in 2004.
“Renewable Energy, Our Downfall…”
R
You can find your essay here:
That is the one – it was reprinted by WUWT.
But the original version did not have a question mark…!
R
The electricity demand will be even higher, as 5G ‘must’ expand.
(Even though I’m an old tech, from my point of view, 5G doesn’t make any sense. Unless it has to do with control and surveillance … [/sarc])
Looks like Arthur Hailey’s “OVERLOAD” was prophesy, not fiction.
Industry should convert to night working. That will be good for the health of their workforce but then what about Net Zero madness cares about ordinary people??
Electricity Network Is Nearly Exhausted
Time for the Dutch to do their electricity sums. How hard can it be?
The Netherlands situation is no different from the GB grid.
In 2011 Coal, Oil, Gas and Nuclear offered over 77,300MW of firm capacity. (DUKES 5.12) And now in 2023, just 12 years on, that has dropped to just 43,800MW. (a 44% reduction) A lot of this is on its last legs (Ratcliffe on Soar is rather geriatric) and there are no guarantees the last of the Nuclear AGRs will survive much longer. Even some of the CCGTs are elderly now.
It is not reasonable to expect better than an 85% availability factor from such old plant so realistically 37,000MW. Any UK winter demand above that when it is dark and calm is likely to be met by imports but only if they are available.
That all this disaster has been allowed, even encouraged by the present government is a damning condemnation and belies the title of “Conservative”.
We already have sleep walked into this disaster and nobody seems to be trying to wake things up.
The problem with renewable energy is that you eventually run out of other sources.
H/T Thatcher
Slightly O/T but at 20-15 today (Sunday 22nd), Gridwatch shows both Wind at Coal at 5%. With all the low pressure days of the last week or so, how come Wind has been pushing out a regular 40-50%, today being an exception?