Government targets 110 gigawatt-hours of battery storage by 2040
Government and energy sector agree 25 measures to ease pressure on the overloaded electricity grid.
Listen to this article
There is no audio version yet. Request one and an AI voice will read the article aloud.
Read by an AI voice.
The government wants to significantly expand the Netherlands’ battery capacity. By 2040, there should be 110 gigawatt-hours of battery capacity, more than fifty times the level at the end of 2025. The plans are intended to make renewable electricity more readily available and limit regional problems caused by grid congestion.
The target is set out in a new policy agenda presented by the government on Monday together with grid operators, Energy Storage NL, local and regional authorities and the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM). It covers not only large battery parks, but also other forms of energy storage. Minister Sophie van Veldhoven and State Secretary De Bat sent the agenda to the Lower House (Tweede Kamer).
According to the Dutch government, batteries can store electricity when large amounts of wind or solar power are available and feed it back later when demand is higher. This can help bring supply and demand into better balance. Storage can also help smooth peaks on regional grids, although it does not replace the expansion of cables and transformer stations.
The agenda contains 25 actions. These include agreements to speed up permits for large batteries and to improve the conditions and payments for storage facilities that help the electricity grid. One example is a flexible contract under which a battery does not always receive the same transmission capacity at every moment.
Households may also play a role, according to the government. In parts of Gelderland, Utrecht, Flevoland and Noord-Brabant, they have been able since 1 November to receive payment from some energy suppliers if their home battery, heat pump or charging point automatically stores or feeds back electricity when the grid is under less strain. The ministry says the rest of the Netherlands will follow next year.
The 110 gigawatt-hours is an indicative target for 2040, not achieved capacity or a legally enforceable construction requirement. The Dutch government also notes that the sector is not yet growing fast enough to reach the target automatically. Success may depend partly on permits, grid conditions, market incentives and whether storage is installed in the right locations.
For businesses, the plan could create opportunities in storage, grid services and flexibility. For households, participation could provide additional income, but the scheme does not say that every home-battery owner will automatically receive payment. A target in itself does not yet indicate how much of the intended capacity has secured financing.
Also show where in Europe and in the world
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The government has drawn up a policy agenda together with grid operators, Energy Storage NL, local and regional authorities and the ACM.
- The indicative target is 110 GWh of battery capacity by 2040, more than fifty times the capacity at the end of 2025.
- The agenda contains 25 actions, including faster permitting and flexible connection contracts.
Left
Arguments The government should actively steer storage and protect the public interest, so that batteries do not merely generate profits but also ease pressure on the overloaded grid and keep renewable energy accessible.
Values Affordability, public direction, decarbonisation and fair access to energy.
Consequences Without conditions, public funds could mainly support private returns while vulnerable households benefit little.
Centre
Arguments The target is defensible, but implementation requires clear grid conditions, oversight and evaluation of the effects on costs and security of supply.
Values Feasibility, reliability, efficiency and institutional responsibility.
Consequences A phased approach could encourage investment without deciding in advance which storage technology must be used everywhere.
Right
Arguments The government should give market participants room to operate and speed up permitting, but be cautious with subsidies and central planning.
Values Market forces, affordability, property rights and less regulation.
Consequences Too much government direction could result in expensive overcapacity or batteries being installed in places where they have little commercial value.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The key figures and policy measures appear in the Dutch government’s publication and the letter to parliament. The text makes clear that 110 GWh is an indicative target, not achieved capacity.
- confirmed The government is targeting 110 GWh of battery capacity by 2040. — The Dutch government explicitly describes this as an indicative target. source
- confirmed The agenda contains 25 actions. — This is stated in the government announcement. source
- confirmed Households in four provinces have been able to take part in a payment scheme since 1 November. — The Dutch government names Gelderland, Utrecht, Flevoland and Noord-Brabant. source
Editor's note
The indicative target of 110 GWh, the 25 actions and the scheme for households have been confirmed. The date on which the target will be met and the precise effects on grid congestion remain uncertain.Sources
- Overheid en energiesector spreken doel en acties af voor meer grote batterijen in Nederland — Rijksoverheid
- Beleidsagenda Energieopslag 2026 — Tweede Kamer
More on this in Dutch media
- Trouw — „batterijen energieopslag”
- RTL Nieuws — „batterijen energieopslag”
- FD — „batterijen energieopslag”