Solutions to the Grid Congestion in The Netherlands - and the world
Watts to ADD
Episode 0 - Intro
Watts to ADD – power off the grid is a podcast exploring how we can break free from grid congestion and power our lives with smarter, greener alternatives. Each episode connects ideas from Amstel Discovery District and beyond—where innovation, sustainability, and creativity spark new ways to live, work, and thrive. Join us as we ask What’s next? and add fresh energy to the conversation.
Episode 0: Intro – Watts to ADD | Power off the Grid [Dutch]
Welcome to Watts to ADD, a podcast from Connecting Concepts exploring the story behind the Amstel Discovery District (ADD) and one of the biggest challenges in the Netherlands today — grid congestion.
Join Guusje Huybregts and Dirk-Jan Houben as they discuss how this ambitious area development within Amsterdam’s ring faces the realities of a full power grid, and how creativity, innovation, and collaboration are driving new ways to live and work sustainably.
Themes: #WattsToADD #GridCongestion #EnergyTransition #Sustainability #Innovation #CleanTech #DutchEnergy #SmartInfrastructure #ClimateTransition #RealEstateDevelopment #AmstelDiscoveryDistrict #Amsterdam #FutureOfEnergy #UrbanDevelopment
Podcast Transcription [translated to English]
Guusje Huybregts: Welcome to Watts to ADD My name is Guusje Huijbregts. I am part of the marketing team at Connecting Concepts, and we are going to talk about Discovery District, ADHD, and Net Congestion.
Dirk-Jan Houben: My name is Dirk-Jan Houben, I am a commercial project developer at Connecting Concepts and, in that capacity, responsible for the leasing and sale of the project.
G: And, what is ADD?
DJ: ADD is an area development within the Amsterdam Ring Road, where private sector housing, social and mid-range rental housing, and external housing are being developed. But also 45,000 square meters of workspace. And that is precisely where we are experiencing network congestion.
G: Can you tell me more about network congestion?
DJ: We received a letter from Liander last year stating that we would have electricity in 2031. That still felt somewhat manageable, because you still have to build and develop. But within a few months, 2031 became 2032, 2035, and 2037. And then we knew that this was slipping away from us. We have to solve this ourselves, because it won’t be solved for us.
