Battery storage for the most sustainable distribution center in the Netherlands
- Veghel
- Asset Monitoring
- Optimizing Self-Consumption
- Congestion Management
Growth in Solar Energy, Battery Storage, and EV Charging Infrastructure at Van Acht Logistics
18.572
Total number of solar panels, including 6,272 new panels
11,285 MWp
Total Installed Solar Capacity
6 MW / 12 MWh
Battery Storage for Flexibility
3x AC / 1x DC
EV Charging Infrastructure for Electric Trucks
Van Acht Logistics installed a mega-battery to alleviate grid congestion and, at the same time, turned it into a revenue model. What began as a logistics problem—an overloaded power grid and a growing fleet of electric trucks—was transformed into a sustainable source of revenue with the help of Covolt.
Van Acht Logistics is a family-owned business with roots dating back to 1930. What began as an agricultural business in Sint-Oedenrode has grown into a leading specialist in refrigerated, frozen, and non-temperature-controlled storage and transportation. With two distribution centers in Sint-Oedenrode and Veghel, Van Acht offers space for more than 85,000 pallet positions. Sustainability is a fundamental aspect of Van Acht’s corporate philosophy—the company has been completely natural gas-free since 1991, well before it became a marketing trend.
The Veghel facility, a new 58,000 m² building located directly off the A50, earned the BREEAM-NL Outstanding certification in 2024 with a score of 91.46%—the highest achievable level for sustainable construction in the Netherlands.
"This project ensures that we are fully prepared for the future, including the further expansion of our electric fleet. The batteries give us greater flexibility: if we run short on capacity, we can adjust our operations ourselves."
There are now 18,572 solar panels on the roof of Van Acht, with a total installed capacity of 11,285 kWp (11.285 MWp). But generating a lot of solar power doesn’t automatically mean a lot of profit: the Dutch power grid is at capacity, and the price of electricity fluctuates constantly.
Van Acht consistently generates more solar power than the company consumes itself. In the past, the surplus was fed back into the grid, but during sunny periods—when output is at its highest—the grid is already saturated. Furthermore, the company wanted to maintain the capacity to further expand the charging infrastructure for its own fleet of electric trucks without running into that same grid congestion.
Van Acht was not only looking for a provider of technical management services, but also for a partner who could actively contribute ideas regarding market entry and energy optimization.
Since April 2025, Van Acht has been operating a mega-battery with a capacity of 6 MW and a storage capacity of 12 MWh, controlled by the Covolt platform. Excess solar power is stored and used at the most opportune time—for the company’s own consumption, for sale on the energy market, or to charge the fleet of electric trucks via three AC and one DC charging points—even when the sun isn’t shining.
Covolt provides an integrated package for Van Acht, organized around four pillars:
- Technical management of PV systems at both locations
- Preventive and corrective maintenance for maximum availability
- Real-time monitoring of component health, performance, and malfunctions
- Panel Cleaning to Maintain Efficiency
- Reporting expected PV generation to the grid operator
- Balance Maintenance and Market Optimization for Commercial Energy Assets
- Integration with 12 MWh of battery capacity for energy storage and flexibility
- Daily scheduling of energy flows between solar, battery, charging infrastructure, and the grid
- Forecasting Production and Consumption Based on Weather Data and Location Profiles
- Optimization of the battery strategy based on day-ahead market prices
- Smart energy management system for communication between solar panels, batteries, EV charging infrastructure, and the utility grid
- Transparent monthly reports on charging sessions, battery activity, consumption, and revenue
- Fixed annual fee for professional energy management, with no profit-sharing
For Van Acht, this yields financial benefits through multiple channels at once:
11,285 kWp
total capacity
In 2025, 6,272 new solar panels were installed for a fully automated warehouse with 54,000 pallet spaces. Managed by Covolt.
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