Ground has been broken on the construction of Energy Hub Boekelermeer
On May 15, the first pile was driven for the construction of the energy hub in the Boekelermeer. This marks the start of the implementation phase of the project, which aims to relieve grid congestion on the business park and in the harbor area. The energy hub is the result of a collaboration between the Municipality of Alkmaar, grid operator Liander, and local companies. New Energy Coalition, as the developer of the sustainability plan, has played a driving and advisory role in the realization of this development.
The energy hub is being set up as a collective energy system in which companies coordinate their electricity usage. The infrastructure includes a 5 MWh battery, a local smart grid, and digital control systems. These components enable more efficient use of the available grid capacity, allowing economic development in the area to continue despite current constraints on the electricity network.
The system will be managed under the guidance of a so-called Congestion Service Provider (CSP). The CSP supports participating companies in adhering to mutual agreements and manages the smart distribution of load on the grid. This can involve, for example, using the battery during peak times or coordinating energy consumption between businesses.
Alderman for Economic Affairs and the Boekelermeer area, Christiaan Peetoom, stated: “I am very proud that this energy hub is being realized in the Boekelermeer. The construction of the battery provides future businesses with the power they need to operate. It is an innovative solution to tackle grid congestion together.”
Liander’s Regional Manager for North Holland, Ruben van Loon, added: “With the start of construction, we are taking another great and important step in this project. I’m glad we’re working together to create opportunities in times of scarcity. That is only possible in close cooperation with our customers and partners, such as the Municipality of Alkmaar. By using the grid more flexibly, the Boekelermeer Haven Cooperative is taking a major step toward the future energy system.”
Frank Brandsen, Business Developer at New Energy Coalition, emphasized the importance of collaboration in establishing energy hubs: “This project takes courage, as will the next one. But we are going to do it—together. Thanks to European funding, entrepreneurs now have the space to get to work.”
The construction of the energy hub is co-financed with a €1.1 million European grant from the Horizon Europe program, under the REFORMERS project. The hub is expected to be operational by November 2025. It will be operated by the to-be-established Congestion Management Cooperative Boekelermeer Haven, in which participating companies will collaborate on shared grid management and capacity distribution.
At the end of last year, Liander and the Municipality of Alkmaar signed a letter of intent for the pilot project in the Boekelermeer harbor area. The development marks a concrete step in translating sustainability goals and the challenge of grid congestion into practical, implementable solutions within regional development strategies.
