AMSTERDAM, 12 November 2025 – In a region where expansion is almost impossible due to grid congestion, Prologis has developed a 23,000 sqm logistics building that runs largely independently. The site in Almere, Netherlands is equipped with a microgrid—a local energy system that combines solar power, storage, and emergency backup.
This makes the building operational in a place where no full grid connection is available. It is a practical example of how businesses and critical infrastructure can grow under constrained conditions.
With only 55 kW of grid capacity available at the location, insufficient for typical industrial use, Prologis implemented within one year a microgrid that increases the available power sevenfold, to approximately 400 kW.
The system combines rooftop solar, battery storage, back-up generators as well as a smart energy management system that prioritizes locally generated solar power. Solar energy is stored in batteries, with additional supply provided by a gas generator only when required. A secondary unit is installed as an emergency backup, powered by Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil -100% (HVO100), a renewable diesel fuel made entirely from waste vegetable oils, animal fats, or other sustainable feedstocks. The system is designed to achieve 99.9% reliability through triple redundancy.
“Grid congestion has become one of the biggest hidden risks to business growth in Europe,” said Melchert Duijve, Vice President, Energy & Sustainability, Prologis Europe. “This project proves that industrial development doesn’t have to wait and that companies can secure reliable power and move forward today — not years from now. Microgrids are still rare in the Netherlands, but I expect this to become common practice.”
A Blueprint for Energy-Constrained Markets
Grid congestion is already shaping investment decisions across the Netherlands. Almere, Netherlands is one of many areas under pressure, but it is also one of the first where this kind of solution has been delivered. It is Prologis’ first microgrid in Europe and a scalable blueprint for other constrained sites, with its modular design that can be tailored to local conditions. Similar configurations are in use by Prologis in the United States, where electrification is also outpacing infrastructure.
“For our customers, reliability isn’t optional,” said Marijn van den Heuvel, Director, Capital Deployment, Prologis Netherlands. “In Almere, we’ve built a logistics hub that’s ready to operate today, even where grid connections are years away. That keeps supply chains running and local employment secure.”
Smart, Sustainable Design
The newly developed, fully electric logistics facility is designed to achieve BREEAM Very Good certification, a recognised European standard for sustainable building that measures performance in areas such as energy efficiency, materials and overall design quality.
It will be operated with heat pumps, features triple glazing and LED lighting and is built with circular materials and a demountable steel structure. Its appearance is tailored to the surroundings: in consultation with the municipality, the team chose a natural façade finish and an open entrance.
“This project, developed in close cooperation with the Municipality of Almere, shows that economic growth and sustainability can progress together within existing grid connections,” said Duijve. “It demonstrates how logistics development can continue responsibly, even where infrastructure is constrained, aligning with national efforts to address grid congestion and support the energy transition.”
