Panattoni solves grid congestion with smart “sharing” technology in Kerkrade

While by the end of 2025 more than 14,000 companies are on the waiting list for an electricity connection in the Netherlands, real estate developer Panattoni has arranged energy security in an inventive way for the construction of a business complex in Kerkrade.

In February, Panattoni officially started the construction of a business complex of around 36,000 m² in the Limburg town. The multifunctional building, Panattoni Park Kerkrade, is fully electric and meets the highest sustainability standards.

“There was no capacity to connect new businesses to the electricity grid. But thanks to collaboration and innovative technology, we still made it work,” says Jeroen Gerritsen, Managing Director of Panattoni Belgium and the Netherlands.

Thanks to the neighbors

“We are the first in the Netherlands to provide our electricity supply through cable pooling. We share the connection with our neighbors, The LYCRA Company. This company did not continuously use its full energy capacity. By sharing part of that capacity with us, we (together with a battery, solar panels, and a smart energy management system) have sufficient power for our development. In this way, we make optimal use of the available capacity without needing to expand the electricity grid. We are very grateful to our neighbors for their cooperation.”

European hub

The construction of Panattoni Park Kerkrade represents a significant economic boost for the South Limburg region. Alderman Alexander Geers of Kerkrade: “Kerkrade is an important gateway to Europe. We are located at a hub of European infrastructure. As many as 18 million consumers are within an hour’s distance, 160 million within 500 kilometers, and 220 million within 1,000 kilometers. This is why we have seen strong economic growth in recent years.”

According to Gerritsen, this makes the multifunctional business complex highly attractive. “The park is located directly along the N300 with fast access to the A76, A2, and German motorways. Nearby are terminals along the key inland shipping route from Rotterdam via the Meuse to the German hinterland, where goods can be transported by inland vessels.”

“The park will also be equipped with a 1 MW / 2 MWh battery and a solar roof with a capacity of 1.2 MWp. This is roughly the same amount of energy that 15 electric semi-trailer trucks would use to drive around the world for a year,” says Michiel Buysing Damsté, Managing Director of Censo. Censo supports companies in the energy transition through a broad range of services.

“The combination with cable pooling ensures that as much self-generated energy as possible can be used and that peak demand can be absorbed without excessively burdening the grid.”