Net op Groen brings together regional energy initiatives

The electricity grid is under pressure, and the consequences are now being felt in virtually all sectors. Businesses are having to wait longer for a connection, sustainability plans are being delayed, and the energy transition is stalling. Yet, the message during Net op Groen Noord-Nederland On November 13, 2025, was surprisingly hopeful: there is space on the grid, if we use it smarter and work together.

During the event, more than a hundred professionals from Noord-Nederland came together to discuss the challenges and especially the solutions to grid congestion in the region.

Why the grid is filling up and why expanding alone isn't enough

The program started with a presentation by Enexis, in which Yorick Boshuijzen explained why the electricity grid in Noord-Nederland is under so much pressure. “Many people still think: 'just expand the network and lay more cables'" But the situation is more complicated than that," he stated. The current grid was designed for an energy system that was stable and predictable for years. The growth of solar panels, heat pumps, electric vehicles, and electrification in industry has rapidly changed that balance. In particular, the rapid increase in feed-in and the large peaks in supply and demand create a dynamic that the traditional grid cannot always handle.

Boshuijzen outlined that grid operators are indeed investing heavily in expansion and reinforcement, but that this process is inherently slow. Finding suitable locations for new substations requires careful coordination with municipalities and provinces, while permitting procedures and the shortage of technical personnel further delay implementation. Moreover, the regional grid must adapt to TenneT's high-voltage grid, where new connections often require eight to ten years of preparation and construction. Even if groundbreaking begins today, it will take years before additional capacity is actually available.

Moreover, demand for electricity is growing so rapidly that expansion alone can't keep pace. According to Boshuijzen, it's simply unrealistic to continue expanding the grid indefinitely; the social costs would be enormous, and there would be little physical space underground for even more cables. Therefore, it's becoming increasingly important to rethink the energy system. Not just bigger, but smarter.

In this new reality, users play a greater role than before. Businesses are no longer just consumers, but increasingly producers, consumers, and flexibility partners. Those who gain insight into their own energy profile often discover that peak times can be shifted, that feed-in can be managed differently, or that collaboration with neighboring businesses creates opportunities that initially appear to be nonexistent.

His message was clear: the energy transition requires a joint effort. Expansion remains necessary, but it is not enough. It is precisely the combination of technical solutions, changing user behavior, and regional cooperation that will shape the energy future of Noord-Nederland. The new energy system is more complex, but it also offers many opportunities. If we learn to view things differently and collaborate, we can keep the grid affordable and accelerate the energy transition.

This was followed by three regional practical examples showing how Noord-Nederland is already experimenting extensively with new solutions.

Groningen Stroomt Door – Bob van Ulsen

The first case highlighted during the plenary program was Groningen Stroomt Door. In the city of Groningen, businesses, the municipality, and the grid operator are collaborating to gain insight into actual consumption, peaks, and bottlenecks within various parts of the city. What makes this case unique is that the parties aren't waiting for the grid to be expanded, but are actively exploring what capacity is already available. By sharing data, better coordinating processes, and exploring local flexibility, space is created where previously it seemed there wasn't.

The project demonstrates that area-based approaches can truly make a difference. They don't focus on individual connections, but rather on companies as part of a larger energy system. By experimenting collaboratively with storage, flexibility, and smart management, a framework for action emerges that helps the city move forward. Groningen thus demonstrates how an urban environment, with diverse types of businesses and users, can still take concrete steps toward a future-proof energy supply.

Energy Hub Boekelermeer – Joep Sanderink

The second case took the visitors to Noord-Holland Noord, to the Boekelermeer industrial estate. An energy hub is being built there, practically a model for the integrated energy system of the future. At this site, sustainable energy will not only be generated but also stored locally, exchanged, and used intelligently. The goal is clear: to create space for new businesses and housing construction in a region facing the same challenges as many other parts of the Netherlands.

In the project REFORMERS local businesses, municipalities, grid operators, and knowledge partners are working on a system that combines batteries, smart contracts, and flexibility. What seems like a pipe dream in many regions is already taking shape here.

Energy Hub Bargermeer – Jan Albert Westenbrink

The third case study took attendees to Drenthe, to the Bargermeer industrial estate in Emmen. While Boekelermeer focuses on a future-proof energy system, Bargermeer primarily demonstrates what's possible in the short term. Companies in this large industrial estate face urgent decisions: how can they continue to grow, become more sustainable, and compete at a time when the grid sometimes hinders their plans?

That's why entrepreneurs in Bargermeer are actively seeking solutions that are immediately implementable. They're not just exploring new infrastructure, but also smarter ways to organise existing processes. For example, companies are exploring how they can shift their energy consumption, how they can store it locally, or how direct connections between generation and use can make a difference.

From challenge to solution

After the plenary program, attendees spread out over three parallel sessions, each linked to one of the regional case studies. While the plenary session focused primarily on insight and inspiration, the parallel sessions offered an opportunity to delve deeper into practical application. The case owners guided participants through the technical, organisational, and sometimes even policy puzzles underlying each project. These sessions highlighted the complexity of regional energy systems, but also the breadth of solutions available when stakeholders are willing to share their knowledge.

A special feature of these sessions were the pitches from three innovative SMEs per session, each presenting their own solution. These contributions demonstrated how technology and innovation can strengthen the area-based approach. Think of systems that can manage energy consumption in real time, solutions for local storage, or smart ways to better coordinate generation and demand within a site. This created an inspiring dynamic: on the one hand, the major regional issues, and on the other, concrete innovations that are within reach.

The same message resonated throughout the contributions: grid congestion isn't the end point, but a starting point for innovation. By managing more intelligently, collaborating locally, and applying new technology, space is created, sometimes literally, but above all: space for continued growth, sustainability, and innovation.

Net op Groen Noord-Nederland is an initiative of New Energy Coalition, University of Groningen, FME European Digital Innovation Hub Noord-Nederland and Enterprise Europe Network.