13 March 2023

Dutch Energy Solutions Specialist Alfen Introduces Altro: A Sustainable Prefab Walk-in Substation for Medium Voltage Grid Connections

  • Altro expands Alfen’s walk-in substation solutions to supports the Netherlands and Belgium customers who need medium voltage (MV) grid connections
  • Altro’s sustainable benefits include being more economical with resources and materials, reducing CO2 emissions
  • The walk-in station's innovative IAC-AB solution enhances safety for users and mechanics
  • Altro supports faster scaling of the walk-in station market

Almere, the Netherlands, 13 March 2023 – Alfen, a Dutch energy solutions specialist at the heart of the energy transition to limit climate change, is expanding its walk-in substation solutions with Altro, a new sustainable, customisable, pre-fab and safe walk-in substation. Altro supports a wide variety of Dutch and Belgian customers such as fast electric vehicle charging locations, solar park developers and industrial companies with their MV grid connections to enable EV charging infrastructure, connect renewables to the grid and accelerate the shift towards a cleaner energy future.  

As Europe moves toward a more sustainable energy system, a big change is occurring in the way electricity is produced and consumed. Instead of relying solely on fossil fuels, more solar and wind farms are being built to harness the power of renewable sources. To use this green energy effectively, it is important that these renewable sources can effectively connect to the grid with solutions like Alfen’s Altro.

We are proud to support faster scaling of the walk-in substation market with Altro,” said Marco Roeleveld, CEO of Alfen. “As the energy transition unfolds, EV adoption and renewables are increasing, putting additional strain on the electricity grid. The Alfen team worked closely with a variety of trusted partners to develop a top-of-the-line substation that expands our walk-in substation solutions to help Dutch and Belgian customers get a safe and reliable connection to the medium voltage grid.”

Altro Prefab Station Features

Like all Alfen’s products, the Altro substation was designed with sustainability in mind, using materials and processes to minimise environmental impact. It includes several fey features:


  • Available in 4 assorted sizes (1A, 1A High, 1B, 1B High), allowing specific configurations to meet customers’ unique needs
  • More economical with resources and materials, reducing CO2 emissions
  • Built with high-grade concrete that requires less material, ensuring the same or better technical lifespan and no need for a finishing layer
  • Fully equipped in Alfen’s factory in Almere, saving time and reducing the need for multiple parties to visit the site during installation
  • Built with an IAC-AB solution, ensuring extra safety for users, mechanics and the public
  • Has a short delivery time, enabling quick deployment to support expanding grid capacity

Altro in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, Altro facilitates medium voltage grid connections with power requirements greater than 1750kVA and less than 20MVA (depending on the grid operator) for a variety of customers, including industry, solar parks and greenhouse horticulture. Alfen developed three standard configurations to meet the requirements of Dutch grid operators Stedin, Liander and Enexis.


 


Altro in Belgium

In Belgium, the new station offers configurations that involve a medium voltage to low voltage substation with a current power capacity of no more than 630kVA with plans to expand to 1MVA. It serves grid operators, owners of fast EV charging locations, industrial customers, commercial buildings, residential developments, infrastructure projects and large-scale renewable energy projects.

The Altro is certified by Synergrid, the Belgian federation for electricity distribution network operators. This robust certification, which involves testing and validating the equipment to ensure it complies with relevant regulations and standards, demonstrates the walk-in station’s safety, reliability and high quality.

Altro woonwijk Belgie

About Alfen

At the heart of Europe’s energy transition from fossil-based to zero carbon to limit climate change by 2050, Alfen specialises in energy solutions for the future. Its integrated smart solutions are helping customers throughout Europe address their electricity challenges and achieve climate neutrality. Alfen continuously builds on its more than 85 years of innovation with its smart grids, energy storage systems and EV charging stations installed in some 30 countries throughout Europe. For more information about Alfen, visit us at www.alfen.com

About Alfen’s Smart Grid Solutions

Alfen’s smart grid solutions offer standardised connection systems, transformer substations, local power grids, devices for grid automation, and software for remote management and grid control. Alfen also builds privately-owned electricity grids for companies like greenhouse horticulturalists, industrial companies, and solar park contractors.

Alfen’s rich history of building transformer substations started in the 1960s. Today, Alfen has delivered over 45,000 transformer substations throughout the Netherlands and Belgium. Its Alfen offers 3 types of substations: compact stations, walk-in stations, and customised stations that can be delivered in a range of finishes. Alfen’s walk-in stations like Altro are a modular and flexible solution that allows for customised installations. Its robust housing is constructed with high-quality concrete and is designed with a projected technical lifespan of up to 75 years, providing durability and longevity.

More on Altro

For more information about the Altro, including specifications and dimensions: