Grid operators in the Netherlands have begun paying energy suppliers to make residential energy devices available for local grid management, creating a four-year program centered on home batteries, heat pumps and electric vehicle chargers. The initiative began on November 2, 2026, and is intended to reduce evening demand in areas where distribution networks are congested.
Enexis, Liander and Stedin are among the participating grid operators. The payments apply to devices that selected suppliers can control remotely in parts of Gelderland, Flevoland, Utrecht and eastern Noord-Brabant. The arrangement is designed to let suppliers discharge batteries or reduce consumption during specified peak periods, rather than operating those devices only according to national wholesale electricity prices.
“Depends mainly on how the battery is controlled.” — Gilbert de Graaf, director of market services at Liander, as quoted by RTL
That control issue is central to the program. Batteries that respond solely to nationwide price signals may charge when electricity is inexpensive, even if the local neighborhood is already placing heavy demands on its distribution network. The new availability payments are intended to give suppliers an additional reason to account for congestion at the local level when deciding how connected equipment operates.
Payments vary with required availability
A sample calculation puts the payment to the supplier at 270 to 540 euros per home battery per year, depending on how many hours of daily availability are required. The grid operators determine the need for flexibility, while suppliers decide how much of the payment to pass on to participating customers.
| Program detail | Published figure or condition |
|---|---|
| Payment to supplier | 270 to 540 euros per home battery per year |
| Example battery | 10-kilowatt-hour capacity and 10 kilowatts of power; up to 450 euros per year from Frank Energie |
| Program term | November 2026 through November 2030 |
| Short-term enrollment target | 50,000 to 70,000 households |
| Flexible-capacity objective | 255 megawatts |
Frank Energie, one of the participating suppliers, said owners of a battery rated at 10 kilowatt-hours and 10 kilowatts could receive up to an additional 450 euros annually. The amount ultimately available to a household depends on the supplier’s arrangements and the requirements in the relevant service area. Availability, in turn, is tied to the periods during which the device can be used to support the local network.
Program starts with more than 7,000 devices
The operators aim to enroll 50,000 to 70,000 households in the short term and eventually secure 255 megawatts of flexible capacity. Frank Energie told RTL that more than 7,000 devices were already participating, with enrollment increasing daily. The program initially covers selected parts of four Dutch provinces rather than the entire country.
For professional energy-management and integration businesses, the arrangement defines a market requirement in which battery systems, heat pumps and EV chargers must be capable of participating in remote control programs operated through approved suppliers. The grid operators’ stated objective is not simply to add more storage, but to coordinate the timing of charging, discharging and reduced consumption with conditions on the local network. Liander’s de Graaf confirmed that home batteries can reduce grid peaks in principle, while emphasizing that the result depends on their control.
