Tackling the clean energy gridlock in the Netherlands with Karen de Lathouder (Eneco)

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The energy transition faces significant hurdles across Europe - especially in the Netherlands. Grid congestion, high grid fees, and investment uncertainty are creating a logjam that halts crucial infrastructure deployment like offshore wind and utility-scale batteries. This episode explores how leading integrated energy companies are strategically evolving to overcome these barriers. Learn how balancing assets like flexibility, energy storage, and electron sinks are essential for building resilient portfolios and unlocking positive business cases.

In this episode, we look at how leading integrated energy companies such as Eneco are adapting to move past these challenges. We explore why flexible assets including energy storage, demand-side flexibility, and technologies that can absorb excess electricity - are becoming critical for building resilient energy systems and supporting viable business models.

Ed speaks with Karen de Lathouder, Eneco’s Chief Operating Officer, to dive into the biggest issues facing integrated energy companies as they navigate the next stage of the transition. Their conversation touches on market design, grid constraints, and how flexibility technologies are evolving across Europe.

Key topics include:

• How high grid fees and overloaded networks in the Netherlands are slowing demand growth and delaying major investments.

• How the Netherlands is approaching this balanced system by combining renewables with storage, hydrogen, and VPP-based flexibility tools.

• Why new large renewable projects need long-term power contracts (PPAs), and how colocation is helping developers secure reliable offtakers.

• How flexible grid access contracts are paving the way for the next wave of battery storage projects.

• The growing role of dynamic pricing and how it is changing customer behaviour.

About our guest

Karen is Chief Operating Officer at Eneco where she oversees asset-based value chains, covering everything from heat and renewable power to flexibility assets like batteries, hydrogen, and electric heating systems (e-boilers). She provides an expert view on what it takes to manage capital risk and activate crucial power demand in the North-West European energy sector. For more information on what Eneco do - head to their website. https://www.eneco.nl/en/about-us/

About Modo Energy

Modo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage solutions understand the market - and make the most out of their assets.

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