Amsterdam Arena installs major new battery storage

The largest stadium in the Netherlands has unveiled a major new battery storage unit to make the building more sustainable and energy efficient.

A new 3 megawatt battery was officially opened last week at the Amsterdam Arena last week by the city’s deputy mayor, Udo Kock.

The new unit, built by Nissan and Eaton, will work with the 4,200 solar panels located on the arena’s roof to help provide back-up power and manage supply and demand on the energy grid.

The new unit combines both second-life and new electric vehicle batteries and is the largest of its kind within Europe, according to the arena. It uses the equivalent of 148 batteries usually used in a Nissan LEAF which can power thousands of households in the city.

“Thanks to this energy storage system, the stadium will be able to use its own sustainable energy more intelligently and, as Amsterdam Energy ArenA BV, it can trade in the batteries’ available storage capacity.” saids Henk van Raan, director of innovation at the Amsterdam Arena. “The Arena is assured of a considerable amount of power, even during an outage. As a result, the stadium will contribute to a stable Dutch energy grid. The Johan Cruijff Arena is one of the most sustainable stadiums in the world and leads the way in introducing smart innovations like this unique energy storage system.”

The stadium has introduced a number of new energy efficiency measures designed to increase sustainability within the building. Along with its large number of solar panels, rainwater is collected from its roof and used to water the football pitch. The building is powered with the help of a nearby wind turbine and electric vehicle charging points are widely in use.

These features helped the stadium make it to Climate Action’s five most sustainable sporting venues in the world.