Vattenfall has entered into a tolling agreement with Royal Vopak to access 100 MW/400 MWh of capacity at a planned battery energy storage facility near Meeden in Groningen, the Netherlands. The arrangement will enable Vattenfall to use the storage capacity to help manage variations in electricity supply and demand as renewable generation increases.
Vopak will develop and operate the facility, which is designed to provide 150 MW of power capacity and four hours of storage. Commercial operations are scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2028.
The expansion of wind and solar generation is increasing the need for flexibility across electricity systems. Battery storage enables surplus electricity to be stored during periods of high renewable output and released when demand rises or renewable generation falls. The agreement will strengthen Vattenfallโs ability to match renewable electricity production with customer demand and support its target of contracting at least 1.5 GW of battery capacity across its core markets.
Erik Suichies, Head of Wholesale Energy at Vattenfall, highlighted the importance of flexibility as the energy system transitions towards a greater share of renewable power. He said energy storage can improve the use of renewable electricity while contributing to a more reliable and efficient system.
For Vopak, the agreement represents a step in expanding its business into electrical energy storage. Jarno Veldhoven, Vice President Business Development Battery Energy Storage Solutions at Vopak, said the company is investing in energy transition infrastructure to address growing demand for battery storage as renewables become a larger part of the energy mix. He also welcomed Vattenfall as a long-term partner and reaffirmed Vopakโs aim to provide reliable and affordable battery systems to customers.
The partnership brings together Vattenfallโs power market activities and Vopakโs planned storage infrastructure to support greater integration of renewable electricity into the Dutch power system. Earlier this year, Vattenfall partnered with Nexra on offshore wind operations and maintenance.