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Electrifying logistics amid grid congestion
Lidl is actively working towards a more sustainable future. One of the key ambitions is to fully electrify deliveries to stores before 2030. Robert Dierdorp, project lead at Lidl, explains: “We’re deliberately getting ahead of regulation because sustainability is something we truly believe in. We started in the North Holland region, and not without reason: Amsterdam has the largest environmental zone in the country.”
However, in the Almere region, the electricity grid is heavily congested. Scaling up electric transport requires significant charging capacity, but simply requesting a larger grid connection is not realistic. The challenge was clear: how do you deploy a fleet of 17 electric trucks with high-power charging infrastructure, while operating within the limits of a congested grid?
Integrated design for electric logistics
Rather than treating the grid limitation as a barrier, Lidl and Tibo Energy approached it as the starting point for the system design. Using Tibo Energy’s Energy Simulation Software, the entire energy system was modelled and simulated before implementation, ensuring every component was optimally sized and configured.
The realised system consists of:
- 6 x 350 kW DC fast chargers for 17 electric trucks
- 5.9 MWp of solar PV capacity
- 2 MWh battery energy storage
- Integrated route planning connected to charging schedules
The coordination and control of all components is handled by Tibo Energy’s Energy Management System.
Smart charging that goes beyond grid congestion
Lidl’s electrification ambitions have been realised within a congested grid area, proving that large-scale electric logistics is achievable without waiting for grid upgrades.
In daily operations, this results in:
- Charging schedules aligned with logistics planning, ensuring trucks are ready when needed
- Real-time optimisation of solar, grid and battery energy to minimise costs
- Prevention of unnecessary curtailment, maximising HBE revenues
- Optimisation across CO2 reduction, cost and grid constraints
- A scalable foundation for future expansion of electric transport
“This project shows what’s already possible in a congested grid region,” says Remco Eikhout, CEO at Tibo Energy. “It’s not just about smart charging today, it’s about being ready for tomorrow’s demand too.”
About Lidl
In 2023, Lidl Nederland announced its goal to fully electrify store deliveries well before 2030. At the Almere site, where grid capacity is limited and feed-in capacity is 0 kW, that ambition is only achievable with smart energy management. DC Almere is located along the A27, right in the heart of the Netherlands. This makes it not only a strategic location for Lidl, but also a convenient en-route charging point for its transport partners. Local businesses can also access Lidl’s chargers during off-peak hours.
