<![CDATA[Newsroom Tata Steel Nederland]]> https://www.tatasteelnederland.com/nieuws/en en Tue, 08 Sep 2026 03:42:53 +0200 Fri, 24 Jan 2025 07:50:20 +0100 <![CDATA[Newsroom Tata Steel Nederland]]> https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_2939.jpg https://www.tatasteelnederland.com/nieuws/en 144 Scientific Research for Even Greener Wind Parks https://www.tatasteelnederland.com/nieuws/en/scientific-research-for-even-greener-wind-parks https://www.tatasteelnederland.com/nieuws/en/scientific-research-for-even-greener-wind-parks685550Innovative collaboration led by Tata Steel Nederland for wind towers with reduced steel usage and extended lifespan.

]]>Can wind parks be even more sustainable than they already are? The simple answer is 'yes'. Together with research institutions and other partners, Tata Steel Nederland investigates how the new generation of supporting structures for wind turbines can be built to be just as robust, with less steel, but strong and competitive. The research involves intensive collaboration with stakeholders in the wind turbine market. The goal is to commence a pilot tubular tower for a wind turbine in 2027.

Tata Steel contributes daily to the green transition that our country is currently undergoing, in multiple ways. This includes supplying steel produces with more scrap and less CO2 emissions, improving energy efficiency in all steel production processes, providing stronger steel to enhance vehicle safety and reduce fuel consumption, delivering smart steel to minimize total losses, producing tinplate to extend the shelf life of canned food and reduce food waste, supplying high-tech steel for longer-lasting and leak-resistant batteries.

Less steel, same strength, more competitive

Wind parks have not yet been mentioned in this sum-up. Why not? Because supporting structures for wind turbines are made of very thick steel plates, and machined ring flanges which are often made of more than 100 mm thick steel. Tata Steel Nederland specializes in high-quality thinner steel, in the form of coiled steel. Flat-rolled steel, which is used in our cars, washing machines, and food cans. Wind towers are made from plate thickness ranging from 40 to 100 mm, which are welded into rings, then rings welded into tower segments and then connected in-situ by ring flanges into a tower.

However, this may change soon, as a team of researchers from Tata Steel Nederland, in collaboration with, amongst others TU Delft, explores constructing wind towers with thinner steel plates that are just as strong and more competitive, representing a new advancement in wind tower construction. Hans van der Weijde, R&D Director Tata Steel: “This involves researching new and alternative forms of steel structures and connections, such as wind turbine assembly with (stiffened) panels or with spiral-like steel structures or with double-walled surfaces. Various industry stakeholders are involved in this research, as any technical innovations must also be practical and feasible.” This industrial consortium is led by Tata Steel Netherlands and TU Delft. Dr. Milan Veljkovic, Professor Steel and Composite Structures states: ”The wind turbines’ double-skin shell is a hybrid structure requiring innovation in connecting tower segments. Our main motivation is to improve the sustainability and competitiveness of such towers.” 

Innovation for an extended lifespan

In addition to reducing steel usage, another focus of this research is to extend the lifespan of wind towers. This goal aligns with the redeveloping of wind turbines to last longer. Wind towers also have to meet these targets in the nearby future. The current generation of wind turbines typically has a lifespan of 20 to 25 years. With these new development goals, a lifespan of more than 30 years is being aimed for. Furthermore, this new generation of even more sustainable wind turbines should be suitable for both onshore and offshore applications. With the planned green steel investments in IJmuiden, Tata Steel aims to make a significant contribution to the production of green energy using wind turbines manufactured from green steel.

]]> Fri, 24 Jan 2025 07:50:20 +0100 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/2939/7835a924-a1e6-4405-98fa-b03eb8ee69c4/500_a4-tata-steel-ijmuiden-skyline-windturbines-0004.jpg?10000 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/2939/7835a924-a1e6-4405-98fa-b03eb8ee69c4/a4-tata-steel-ijmuiden-skyline-windturbines-0004.jpg?10000 Dutch energy-intensive industry presents Aurora report on rising network costs to Minister of Climate and Green Growth https://www.tatasteelnederland.com/nieuws/en/dutch-energy-intensive-industry-presents-aurora-report-on-rising-network-costs-to-minister-of-climate-and-green-growth https://www.tatasteelnederland.com/nieuws/en/dutch-energy-intensive-industry-presents-aurora-report-on-rising-network-costs-to-minister-of-climate-and-green-growth655143New report shows network costs have tripled in two years, Belgium, France and Germany have 80% lower costs and fees will continue to increase until 2045.Energy market analytics provider Aurora Energy Research has published a report on Dutch network costs, showing that they have tripled in the past two years, while network costs in Belgium, France, and Germany are about 80% lower. The increase is expected to continue until 2045 under unchanged policies. 

]]>Grid Fees in the Netherlands are much higher compared to Germany, France and Belgium

]]>Aurora Energy Research has found that network costs in the Netherlands will continue to rise over the coming decades, in a study commissioned by Tata Steel, Shell, Nyrstar, bp, Sabic, and Chemelot. The Aurora report, "Grid Fee Outlook for the Netherlands 2045," reveals that electricity network rates in the Netherlands are diverging even more from those of neighbouring countries than previously reported. 

View Aurora's news item and the entire report here.

Network costs in the Netherlands are regulated by the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) and cover transmission and system services. In the past two years, costs have nearly tripled, rising from 897 mn € to 2.5 bn € in 2024, primarily due to adjustments for high energy prices in 2022. Tennet, the Dutch transmission system operator (TSO), expects that costs will only decrease slightly in 2025 and 2026, as lower energy costs are partially offset by rising investments in the grid (offshore) and prepayments for future energy cost adjustments. 

Discounts in neighboring countries
The Aurora study provides a forecast of total network costs towards 2045. These are translated into network rates for two typical consumption profiles: a flexible consumption profile of 3,000 full load hours and a base load consumption profile of 8,000 hours. The study shows that network rates in Germany, Belgium, and France are currently often more than 80% lower than in the Netherlands for both types of consumers. By 2030, Aurora expects that network rates in the Netherlands will remain higher than those of neighbouring countries for base load consumers; 15 times higher than in France, 6 times higher than in Germany, and 4 times higher than in Belgium. For flexible consumption, derived from new electrification technologies such as e-boilers and electrolysers, network rates remain up to 7 times higher than abroad, hindering the energy transition.
 
The Dutch coalition parties strive for a level playing field for the industry. Aurora’s study shows that the Dutch energy-intensive industry will incur significantly higher network rates in 2024, and without intervention, the competitive position will further deteriorate towards 2045. To bring the network rates for large consumers in line with those in neighbouring countries, over 300 mn € annually is currently needed, growing to more than 500 mn € by 2030.
 
Representatives of the involved companies and Aurora presented the report to Minister Hermans of Climate and Green Growth on August 14. In an accompanying letter, the companies request the minister to develop measures for both the short and long term to ensure that network costs in the Netherlands align with those of other European countries.

Jeroen Klumper, director Sustainability Tata Steel Netherland, stated: 
“Tata Steel Netherlands wants and can contribute to the earning capacity and sustainability in the Netherlands. Our plan for making Green Steel has the potential to be one of the driving forces of the economy of the future. We are now seeing a decline in competitiveness due to rising network costs, among other things. This stands in the way of electrification and therefore the energy transition. The industry wants to contribute to making the Netherlands more sustainable. It must be clear that the investments will also pay off. Reasonable network costs that are in line with our neighboring countries are of great importance. Fortunately, the government recognizes the situation. I therefore hope that they use the results of this report when drawing up policy for the coming years."

Jesse Hettema, Head of the Netherlands & Belgium, at Aurora Energy Research, added: 
“Rising grid fees risk becoming the showstopper in the energy transition. Lowering fees is required to enable electrification of industry, which is essential to continue the build out of renewables. " 

Björn Hofman, Associate at Aurora Energy Research, added: 
“The newly elected government indicated the ambition to pursue a more level playing field, which they can realise, but will come with a price tag. We hope this study will help in the understanding and in facilitating the discussion around the harmonisation of grid fees.” 

Photo caption: Representatives of the energy-intensive industry present the Aurora report to Minister Hermans. In the photo, from left to right: Guido Smit (Shell), Jeroen Klumper (Tata Steel Netherlands), Sophie Hermans (Minister of Climate and Green Growth), Henk Leenders (Nyrstar), and Jesse Hettema (Aurora). 
 

]]> Fri, 16 Aug 2024 07:54:00 +0200 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/2939/ec00d7b2-ee3f-47ff-80c3-f86637381d64/500_publiciteitsfoto-overhandigingaurorarapport-fotodoorpaulblezerministerievanezk.jpg?10000 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/2939/ec00d7b2-ee3f-47ff-80c3-f86637381d64/publiciteitsfoto-overhandigingaurorarapport-fotodoorpaulblezerministerievanezk.jpg?10000