Dutch Province Tackles Energy Grid Crisis with Collaborative Smart Hubs
Amsterdam, Saturday, 21 February 2026.
Noord-Holland launches groundbreaking Smart Energy Hubs to solve critical grid capacity shortages threatening business expansion. Twenty-one hubs are already active, with companies sharing energy resources to reduce individual grid strain. This collaborative approach enables businesses to access more electricity while supporting sustainability goals. ROM InWest will provide financial backing through 2026 subsidies, helping energy cooperatives overcome early-stage funding barriers that have delayed projects like Baanstee Noord.
Provincial Leadership Drives Energy Innovation Forward
ROM InWest, the regional development agency for Noord-Holland, has positioned itself as the driving force behind this energy infrastructure transformation [1]. Paul Hauptmeijer, quartermaster for Smart Energy Hubs at ROM InWest, explains the current scope of operations: “At this moment there are 21 Smart Energy Hubs in Noord-Holland that are actively guided by directors from the province. Companies, municipalities and grid operators are working together fully in this” [1]. These hubs are predominantly in exploratory or planning phases, establishing cooperatives and negotiating group transport agreements with grid operators [1]. The collaborative model represents a significant departure from traditional energy procurement, with businesses, municipalities, and network operators working in unprecedented coordination [1].
Technical Framework and Grid Optimization Strategy
The Smart Energy Hubs concept operates on a sophisticated principle of demand management and resource sharing [1]. When large consumers reduce their peak demand, space is created on the grid for other companies, strengthening Noord-Holland’s investment climate for start-ups, scale-ups, and innovative SME companies [1]. The technical infrastructure requires large consumer connections but generates net grid capacity by lowering peak demand across participating businesses [1]. This approach aligns with advanced energy management frameworks described in recent research, where multi-carrier energy hubs optimize conversion, distribution, and utilization of energy vectors including electricity, gas, heat, and hydrogen [2]. The model incorporates demand response programs that transform consumers into active participants by shifting consumption based on real-time signals [2].
Beyond Electricity: Comprehensive Energy Solutions
The Smart Energy Hubs initiative extends beyond electrical power management to encompass comprehensive energy solutions [1]. The hubs offer opportunities for sharing heat through heat networks, which can reduce CO₂ emissions, decrease gas consumption, and potentially reduce pressure on the electricity network [1]. This multi-faceted approach is particularly significant given that 80 percent of energy consumption concerns heat [1]. The integration of multiple energy carriers reflects global trends in energy hub development, where hydrogen storage systems enable efficient energy balancing through power-to-hydrogen conversion and hydrogen-to-power processes [2]. Such comprehensive energy management systems demonstrate how traditional energy infrastructure can evolve into flexible components of future-proof energy networks [3].
Financial Support and Implementation Challenges
ROM InWest is preparing to launch a subsidy scan for 2026 to provide energy cooperatives with a financial foundation for their operations [1]. The regional development agency is considering early-stage involvement in financing Smart Energy Hubs cooperatives, including adjusting financing conditions for practical implementation cases [1]. Hauptmeijer acknowledges the financial imperatives: “The financing of this initiative will come on the table anyway” [1]. However, implementation faces real-world obstacles, as demonstrated by the Baanstee Noord project in Purmerend, where a group of entrepreneurs stands ready to collaborate, but construction delays for a new electricity station have postponed the pilot group transport agreement [1]. The group transport agreement itself remains in development, offered in pilot form until the end of 2026 [1]. This timeline coincides with broader energy transition investments, including the recent €5.6 million MOOI subsidy awarded to the SPROUT project, which demonstrates how existing energy infrastructure can be intelligently coupled with sustainable energy carriers [3].