Schaatsbaan Rotterdam takes battery into operation with energy management by Eneco
Skating rink Schaatsbaan Rotterdam has taken a major step towards making its energy supplies sustainable and future-proof by installing a large-scale 1 Megawatt (MW) battery on-site with energy management provided by Eneco. With this smart energy storage system, the skating rink has improved the sustainability of its energy use. It will also be able to make more efficient use of its existing grid connection.
During the 4 months every year that Rotterdam’s skating rink is in use, it consumes large amounts of energy to maintain a high-quality skating surface. However, the capacity of the location’s heavy-duty net grid connection is available for the rest of the year as well. With Eneco using the battery to provide smart energy management, that capacity can be optimised year-round, to control imbalances in the electrical grid and potentially help Schaatsbaan Rotterdam achieve a cost-neutral energy system.
The connection has enough capacity for the 1MW battery to be used effectively at moments of a sustainable energy surplus, and to feed energy into the grid during shortfalls. The battery will make a huge difference while the skating rink is in use, by not adding to the pressure on the grid when the rink needs electricity. It will also help when the rink is not in use: besides helping to balance the grid, it will also help to reduce local grid congestion issues.
Cost-neutral energy supplies
Schaatsbaan Rotterdam has partnered with Eneco to achieve its energy ambition: making its energy supplies almost entirely cost-neutral. The rink has always been careful about how much energy it uses; this is reflected in its very design, for example the tunnel with light fixtures that covers the 400m track. This alone saves 60% compared with the energy used in an open design. The rink will incur even lower energy costs now thanks to the battery storage and Eneco’s smart energy management, while also helping to make the regional energy grid stabler and more sustainable.