Dutch power grid can't handle influx of electric car charging points

By 2025, there will be some 3,000 neighborhoods in the Netherlands where no new electric car charging points can be installed, knowledge center ElaadNL said to BNR. The growing demand for electric vehicles and accompanying charging stations is quickly overloading the power grid, grid operators confirmed to the broadcaster.

According to Rutger Croon of ElaanNL, the power grid in some 3,000 neighborhoods won’t have room for more charging stations within the next three years. Unless smart charging - when vehicles connect digitally to the grid and only charge when less power is used, like at night - is the only option.

Grid operator Stedin also told BNR that the government must invest heavily in the rollout of smart charging “otherwise the grid will be too crowded.” The other option is to upgrade the power grid. “But that costs a lot of money and is a social choice. So we’d rather not do that.”

According to ElaadNL, there will be almost 5 million charging points in the Netherlands by 2050. 

State Secretary Vivianne Heijnen of Infrastructure and Water Management already informed parliament that she wants smart charging to be the norm from 2025. Amsterdam is already experimenting with it.