Renewable energy is no longer niche in the Netherlands. By 2024, more than half of the country’s electricity came from renewable sources, with solar, wind, biomass, and hydro leading the mix. This transition is a success story for decarbonisation, but it has created new operational challenges for C&I businesses.
Grid bottlenecks are now one of the biggest obstacles to growth. More than 11,900 businesses and institutions are in the queue for grid connections, forcing operators to ration power and, in some cases, delay expansion plans (Financial Times). The government is taking action: launching a €100 million subsidy fund to support battery storage alongside solar projects.
But this alone won’t solve the problem.
Meanwhile, national grid operator TenneT is introducing incentives for those who can adapt, allocating 9 GW of off-peak capacity and offering up to 65% tariff reductions for flexible energy users. With the right onsite generation, storage, and intelligent energy management, Dutch C&I businesses can make the most of these incentives turning volatility from a financial risk into a competitive advantage.
For forward-thinking organisations, the question is no longer if they should act, but how quickly. With Wattstor’s integrated solutions, businesses can secure energy resilience, lock in savings, and accelerate their renewable transition.
READ: Energy Storage in the Booming Dutch Market
How much could you save with Wattstor?
Thanks to its location near the North Sea and the vast adoption of offshore wind, the Netherlands enjoys one of the highest percentages of renewable energy on its grid. This is certainly good news for its decarbonisation efforts. Although, challenges remain with regard to grid congestion, price fluctuations and power availability.
During periods of low generation, gas has to be used to generate electricity, leading to price spikes that are especially concerning for margin-sensitive businesses. The graph below shows energy price trends during 2024. It is easy to see that, despite being relatively stable for the rest of the year, prices spiked in autumn, when output from renewables was low.
The above data is based on data from the last 12 months. The average market price per kWh per day per season. For example, the day number is day 10 of the summer, starting on day number 172 of the year. (Source)
How can organisations grow their business when prices are unpredictable and capacity is scarce?
Onsite renewables and effective energy storage options offer a practical and cost-effective solution. BESS solutions can help address both price volatility and grid congestion, giving businesses an extra gear to expand their operations while remaining sustainable. In particular, Wattstor’s DC-coupled battery systems can help when grid constraints impose limits on the size of businesses’ renewable projects.
Flexibility with a pricing safety net
In the Netherlands, grid congestion and volatile prices are rewriting the rules for C&I energy management. Shifting consumption to off-peak hours and charging batteries during low or negative-price periods can deliver big savings, but without tariff innovation, a single price spike can still blow your budget.
That’s where Wattstor’s Price Protect comes in. It’s the only fully dynamic renewable tariff in the Dutch market with a built-in price cap giving your business the freedom to make the most of market dips without the risk of runaway costs.
- Charge during negative-price events for minimal or zero cost.
- Maximise grid connection by storing excess solar output.
- Cap extreme peaks with a fixed maximum kWh price.
- Increase ROI with solar, storage, and AI-driven optimisation.
The result? Dutch C&I businesses can use volatility to their advantage by securing savings, stability, and the ability to grow even in a congested grid.
Fixed Tariff vs Fully Dynamic Tariff
The graph below shows the dynamics of a fixed versus a fully dynamic tariff. It’s easy to see that, most of the time, businesses would be better off on a fully dynamic tariff, paying less when wholesale electricity prices drop.
However, there are instances where a sudden price spike means their bill would also suddenly rise. If instances of price spikes increase, businesses will have a problem. A fixed tariff can protect them from spikes, but doesn’t allow them to benefit from price drops.
The solution? Wattstor has recently launched Price Protect, the only fully dynamic renewable tariff on the market, with a price cap. With Price Protect, the manufacturer will get the best of both worlds: they will always pay less than the market price for their electricity, but never more than agreed.
In this example, a fixed tariff will protect the business in the one instance in which prices are spiking. However, they won’t be able to benefit from lower wholesale prices for most of the time.
With a fully dynamic tariff, the business will benefit in most cases, but won’t be shielded from higher energy costs when wholesale prices spike. Price Protect offers the best of both worlds for Dutch businesses: protection from price spikes thanks to a price cap, and the chance to benefit from price drops thanks to the fully dynamic mechanism.
Turning price volatility into commercial opportunity
For Dutch businesses, the question is no longer if electricity prices will fluctuate, but how prepared they are to deal with it. By combining onsite renewables, smart battery storage, and intelligent energy management, volatility can shift from being a cost risk to a cost-saving opportunity.
„It is our vision to empower every business and community to actively participate in the green energy transition and financially benefit from it“
Stephan Marty, Wattstor CEO
Wattstor is a next-generation energy company providing complete onsite renewable energy solutions. We believe clean, affordable energy is a business essential, and are committed to removing all obstacles to the clean energy transition.
Our fully funded energy systems help make net zero a reality for energy-intensive organisations in all sectors – with no upfront costs and guaranteed lower-than-grid electricity prices.
From industry-leading consultancy, to unique tariffs, state-of-the-art solar + BESS, and a powerful AI-based EMS, Wattstor is the one-stop specialist for organisations eager to fast forward their net zero ambitions.
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