The energy transition is outpacing Europe’s ability to expand and reinforce its electricity networks, Dutch transmission system operator TenneT has warned, describing the situation as “a crisis in slow motion.”
Speaking at POLITICO’s Energy & Climate Forum on Monday, the group’s Manager Customers Eugène Baijings said the shift to electrification is “going much faster than the pace we can cope with and the capacity of our grid.”
While the pressure is not always immediately visible, he added, “you don’t get confronted every day, but you know already if you look into the future that is going to be there.” He cautioned the issue will extend beyond the Netherlands, which is “ahead of the rest, and not worse than the rest.”
Baijings said TenneT is accelerating grid expansion while making better use of existing infrastructure. But he warned that “projects are really going slow because of permitting because of nitrogen limits,” forcing operators to rely more on “grid enhancing technologies” and flexibility solutions.
