We are working hard with our partners to build a future-proof energy system. While electricity will play a key role in future scenarios, we cannot achieve a sustainable and resilient system without sustainable molecules. Collective heat, green gas and hydrogen will be essential to meeting energy demand. That is why, in 2024, we have made sustainable molecules a top priority.
Feasible and affordable energy system
We aim to make the energy transition as efficient as possible: we are working hard to build a sustainable energy system that is both feasible and affordable. Together with the government, provinces, municipalities, ACM, market players and our customers, we are making tough decisions to steer the energy transition in the right direction. This is no easy task. We are rebuilding our energy network without knowing exactly what the future will look like.
Building a future-proof energy system
Visions and opportunities
As a grid operator, we recognise the need to play a leading role in the development of a future-proof energy system. We do this by proactively applying our expertise and knowledge to support informed decision-making. That is why, in 2023, we defined our visions and positions on a number of key issues. We have outlined a realistic and achievable future scenario for each theme and a detailed step-by-step plan.
Our vision in practice
In 2024, we put our vision into practice. A few examples:
Introduction of grid-aware charging. With grid-aware charging, charging stations are given less space on the grid during peak hours. The available space on our grid is shared between the charging cars. As a result, it takes slightly longer for cars to be fully charged. As cars are usually connected to a charging station longer than necessary, EV drivers will hardly notice this.
Commissioning of a green gas booster in Drenthe. The Drenthe booster is a blueprint for future installations.
We have signed the first cooperation agreements with companies in industrial estates to organise their energy supply in energy hubs.
Together with the industry, we are looking at a new tariff system for customers and producers that encourages efficient use of the grid.
Last year, Enexis developed a vision of energy planning to make it an integral part of policy decision-making. The vision has been well received and is now widely shared within the sector.
Programmes and analyses
Together with the national government, provinces, municipalities, market players, and industry organisations, we are working hard to develop the energy system of the future.
National Grid Congestions Action Programme
The National Grid Congestion Action Programme (Landelijk Actieprogramma Netcongestie, LAN), led by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, brings together ACM, grid operators and market players to find solutions to medium-voltage and high-voltage grid congestion.
The LAN is working on three fronts:
Faster construction, aimed at reducing lead times and strengthening cooperation between grid operators, municipalities, provinces and the state.
Better use of transmission capacity through more flexible use of the grid.
Giving customers greater insight into where and when additional transmission capacity will become available.
These and other measures will ease the pressure on the energy grid, but they are still not enough to stop the growing waiting lists. In 2024, the LAN was expanded with the Low-Voltage Grid Congestion Action Agenda. This includes measures to reduce pressure on the low-voltage grid, such as a neighbourhood approach, more efficient use of low-voltage grids, and device-specific measures, such as using electric cars as batteries and flexible charging as standard.
Implementation agenda
Netbeheer Nederland, Bouwend Nederland and Techniek Nederland signed an implementation agreement to upgrade regional low-voltage and medium-voltage grids in 2024 (2024-2034). The agreement contains working arrangements for the planned and extensive upgrading of these grids. For example, the parties will enter into long-term contracts for a specific area. It also includes agreements to jointly invest in innovative technologies and processes, such as compact connection modules, pluggable medium and low-voltage connections and the prefab meter box.
Energy boards
We are increasingly working with stakeholders and partners, such as the provincial energy boards. Together, we want to get a clear picture of long-term energy demand and supply. This is also set out in the provincial energy visions. The province also draws up the pMIEK (Provincial Multi-Year Program for Infrastructure, Energy, and Climate). This outlines the priorities and plans for expansion investments in regional energy infrastructure. Currently, every province in our service area has an energy board.
Making the most of public space
The energy transition and the corresponding grid expansion significantly impact public space. This requires good spatial integration coordination with municipalities and provinces. This is the only way to ensure the required physical space is available on time. The energy infrastructure must be integrated into spatial planning and vice versa. To support this, Enexis has mapped out the spatial impact of the expected grid expansions. This enables us to raise awareness and work with municipalities to acquire the necessary land.
Working with municipalities: the neighbourhood approach
To drive the energy transition forward, we are accelerating the upgrade of low-voltage and medium-voltage grids. Over the next few years, we will work intensively in residential areas, installing thousands of new transformers, upgrading existing ones, and laying thousands of kilometres of cable. This will be done neighbourhood by neighbourhood, requiring a fundamental shift in how we operate as grid operators, with new processes and revised roles and responsibilities. We are making rapid progress.
The success of this neighbourhood approach largely depends on the communities we serve. Acceleration is only possible through close collaboration. To formalise this, we signed a cooperation agreement (CA) with municipalities. This confirms our commitment to accelerating the expansion of the low-voltage and medium-voltage grids, working together and recognising each other's interests. This often means municipalities must adapt their working methods or establish new internal structures to align with our processes. The specifics of how we collaborate to speed up implementation are outlined in a separate supplementary agreement (SA). By 2024, we had signed SAs with 56 municipalities.
Proposal to make neighbourhoods more sustainable
Municipalities need to speed up the implementation of their neighbourhood implementation plans. These plans outline the preferred heating solution for each neighbourhood to replace natural gas. Without this neighbourhood approach, the heat transition in the built environment cannot be achieved on time. We support municipalities by providing insight into the necessary grid adjustments. In January 2025, all regional network operators submitted a proposal for each neighbourhood in their catchment area. These proposals are based on their own expectations: where does it make sense to switch to electricity for heating, and what kind of growth in electricity demand and charging stations can we anticipate? Where do heat networks make sense, and where should gas networks be maintained – for green gas, for example? Municipalities can use these neighbourhood proposals to make informed decisions about future heat supply.
Congestion-neutral battery connection
Large-scale battery storage makes the energy system more flexible. Batteries charge when energy production is high and release energy when electricity demand increases. However, if not managed properly, batteries can contribute to or exacerbate grid congestion. If a battery charges or discharges at peak times, it puts extra strain on the grid. To prevent this, we connect large batteries under a Connection and Transmission Agreement (CTA) and a Capacity Restriction Contract (CRC). These agreements ensure controlled and predictable battery usage, preventing additional peak loads on the grid. By setting specific conditions – such as restricting charging or discharging between 2 PM and 4 PM – we are helping to maintain grid stability. An experiment with two large batteries is currently underway at the Efteling, and a large battery installation has also been commissioned in Wanneperveen.
Legislation and regulations in the energy transition
Energy Act
In 2024, the Energy Act was passed by a large majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This law lays the foundation for energy policy in the coming years and, among other things, allows grid operators to promote flexibility to ease grid congestion. Consumers will have more options for storing and using renewable energy. Enexis has worked alongside other grid operators and market participants to ensure the law addresses issues essential for a well-functioning energy system. For example, by obtaining customer data, grid managers will soon be able to contact customers directly in case of maintenance work or imminent disconnection and will be able to use the smart meter to allocate energy volumes more accurately to market participants.
The Energy Act is expected to be phased in from 1 July 2025. We are preparing for implementation. The Ministry is working on the first amendment to the Energy Act: the Electricity Market Design Directive (EMD), which will introduce a more substantial obligation to facilitate energy sharing. A more fundamental change is also in the pipeline, namely an adaptation to the directive from the EU decarbonisation package.
The further details of the Energy Act will be elaborated in the Energy Decree (General Administrative Order) and Ministerial Regulations. Enexis will monitor the developments in these laws and regulations during the fiscal year 2025 and determine the impact on the consolidated financial statements of Enexis Holding N.V. of any obligations arising therefrom.
Adapting the codes
To promote the flexible use of the electricity grid, ACM amended several codes in 2024. For example, it is now possible to allocate transmission capacity according to social priority. New, longer connection times for high-volume consumers have also been introduced, providing predictability for our customers and better reflecting the current capabilities of grid operators. In addition, as a grid operator, we can reclaim unused transmission capacity if customers do not use it for an extended period. The motto of this code decision is ‘use it on time or lose it’).
We are also working on the possibility for groups of users to share transmission capacity on several connections by means of a group transmission agreement. A proposal for this has been prepared.
Municipal Instruments Heat Transition Act
In 2024, the House of Representatives and the Senate passed the Municipal Instruments Heat Transition Act (Wgiw) by a large majority. This law provides municipalities with the necessary tools to transition to natural gas-free neighbourhoods by 2050. To achieve this, they will adopt a neighbourhood-based approach to implementing affordable and sustainable alternatives. The act also provides the option of waiving the obligation to connect to natural gas. This act is expected to take effect on 1 July 2025 and will significantly impact grid operators.
Collective Heat Supply Act
Finally, the Collective Heat Supply Act (Wcw) is expected to be submitted to the House of Representatives in the second quarter of 2025. The act aims to promote the heat transition while better safeguarding the public interest in terms of sustainability, security of supply and affordability. The act introduces a more transparent cost system for heat and ensures that heat networks remain publicly owned. This will enable grid operators to take on a role. We are preparing for this transition.
Procurement Act
To realize the energy transition, many materials and services are needed. As a result, many purchases are required. The starting point is and remains that Enexis follows laws and regulations, including procurement law. In some situations, dilemmas can arise where there is a tension between strictly following the law and accelerating and realizing the energy transition. Enexis pays attention to these dilemmas and makes well-considered choices that take into account different perspectives.
Study on electricity infrastructure costs
In the summer of 2024, the government launched the Interdepartmental Policy Survey on Financing the Electricity Infrastructure (IBO). The aim is to ‘gain a better understanding and control on the scale of investment in electricity infrastructure between now and 2040’. The IBO focuses primarily on developing policy measures that could save money for the system or improve the business climate in the Netherlands. Grid operators contributed to the IBO through various working groups. The final result with recommendations and potential savings measures was published at the end of February 2025 and is expected to be discussed by the House of Representatives during the spring memorandum. The impact on Enexis will become more evident this spring.
Sustainable molecules
To phase out natural gas, we need solutions such as green gas and hydrogen. In 2024, we identified these sustainable molecules as a priority, and the team working on them has been expanded. Achieving our goals for sustainable molecules requires European cooperation. Enexis believes this is essential as it strengthens our ability to advocate for the right laws and regulations at the European level and to build relevant European networks. We are actively involved as vice-chair of Gas Distributors for Sustainability (GD4S) and as a member of Eurogas. Read more about our lobbying activities here.
Green gas
The Netherlands has set a target of 2 billion cubic metres of green gas by 2030. To support this growth, we are investing in our network by connecting local gas network sections and installing boosters. We are preparing a green gas booster in Tilburg with Gasunie Transport Services (GTS), the national transmission system operator.
By feeding green gas into the grid, gas will now flow in both directions. Until recently, gas transmission was a one-way system, from supplier to consumer. Together with other grid operators, we are studying the challenges of this change and the solutions needed, such as meeting gas quality standards.
Hydrogen
We want to play a role in the distribution of hydrogen, which will require changes in legislation and regulations. Our focus is on supplying industrial customers, and together with our partners, we are conducting feasibility studies on the use of hydrogen in industrial areas. In 2024, we carried out such a study for the East Groningen industrial hub. The conclusion: hydrogen is a viable option, but its high cost creates an unprofitable gap that requires additional funding. The study assumes that new pipelines will be built for hydrogen, while existing networks for natural gas will continue to be used, allowing companies to switch at their own pace. In addition, network costs are much lower than the cost of hydrogen itself, so they are not a critical factor in viability. The next step in this research is to gain a deeper understanding of business needs and implications.
As part of the HyDelta research programme, we are working with knowledge institutions and network operators to develop our expertise in hydrogen distribution, covering aspects such as technology, safety, digitalisation and the transition from natural gas to hydrogen.