Netherlands

Dutch energy storage firm Return has started construction on the 100 MW/200 MWh battery energy storage system in Waddinxveen, which will be the first project of the size to connect to the TenneT Netherlands high-voltage network in 2026. Vattenfall will manage and optimize half of the system’s capacity under an eight-year contract.

Researchers in Italy have designed a novel carbon dioxide heat pump that can work with photovoltaic-thermal energy, a finned coil heat exchanger and a U-tube borehole heat exchanger. Their experiment has shown that the simultaneous use of at least two energy sources always results in improved system performance even with limited heat transfer areas.

Aurora Energy Research says the global electrolyzer pipeline now totals around 1.3 TW, with 114 GW in development and 32% expected online by the end of 2026. The firm cites stronger EU policy support and growing momentum in hybrid power purchase agreements (PPAs).

Researchers at the Delft University of Technology have developed a top-down processing method localized the front contact in heterojunction solar cells. The new technique reportedly improves a cell’s short-circuit current density enabling higher power conversion efficiency.

Dutch utilities Eneco and Delta Energie will test lower electricity tariffs for consumers – regardless of PV system ownership – who shift consumption to periods of peak solar generation. The pilot aims to encourage flexible demand during midday hours.

Dutch transmission system operator (TSO) TenneT has unlocked over 9 GW of high-voltage grid capacity by introducing flexible contracts for off-peak hours, prompting a surge of interest from battery energy storage developers eager to secure grid access. While these contracts offer notable advantages, Aurora Energy Research says that battery storage projects continue to face challenges due to grid fees, which remain significantly higher than in other European markets.

Chinese researchers have developed a thermal battery prototype using composite sorbents and have scaled it up via simulation to operate in real world conditions. A compression ratio from 1 to 4 reporteldy boosts average output heat power by 300%.

Netherlands-based MCPV, a silicon heterojunction PV manufacturer, is planning to build a GW-sized PV panel factory in Tudela, Navarra, Spain.

Around 137,000 Dutch homeowners have filed a legal claim seeking compensation over the planned cancellation of net metering in 2027.

The U.S. heating specialist has agreed to invest an unspecified sum in Dutch startup Blueheart Energy, which is developing a 6 kW heat pump that works on acoustic waves and is able to produce both heat and cold air.