Last week we were at HortiContact 2026 in Gorinchem, talking with greenhouse growers about how flexibility can translate into real returns. This article summarizes some of our talking points with growers at the event.
Battery storage and EMS: the flexibility advantage for greenhouse growers
For greenhouse businesses, energy stopped being just another cost a long time ago. Business owners who maintain solid grid connection and can manage generation and consumption flexibly, have the opportunity to generate additional income. The market rewards controllable capacity, and that is exactly where battery storage, with smart management, becomes interesting.
The picture right now is nuanced. Energy prices have grown more volatile in recent years, though the past few months have been substantially calmer, partly thanks to PICASSO and lower gas prices. Whether that trend continues remains open question. Meanwhile, the day-ahead market still offers real opportunities for batteries, with recurring price swings, more moments of negative pricing and the shift from hourly to quarter-hour settlements. Grid congestion, even as of early 2026, is another challenge many businesses are consistently encountering, and will likely continue to face for the coming future. A battery energy storage system can help in a practical way: it absorbs peak demand locally and buffers excess feed-in, reducing strain on your grid connection and preserving flexibility even where network capacity is limited.
Put simply, a battery energy storage system (BESS) puts you back in control. Instead of being subject only to grid allowances, an EMS-steered BESS gives business owners the agency to charge, discharge and deliver on their own terms.
Maximizing value through optimized battery dispatch
With a BESS, energy becomes something you can actively work with. Charge when prices are low, discharge when they are high, and where it fits your operations, offer flexible capacity into grid services as well.
There are several ways to generate returns. Balancing markets such as Frequency Containment Reserve (FCR), automatic Frequency Restoration Reserve (aFRR) and manual Frequency Restoration Reserve (mFRR) compensate assets for supporting grid stability. Depending on the product, participants are paid for reserving capacity and for energy delivered during activation. Meanwhile, the imbalance market adds another layer. Deviations from scheduled positions are settled at imbalance prices, creating opportunities for assets that can respond flexibly within 15-minute intervals.
It is worth keeping a realistic perspective about where the market stands today. At the start of 2026, day-ahead price spreads are relatively narrow, and because ancillary service prices tend to move in line with day-ahead spreads, those revenues are also somewhat compressed. Winter months are generally softer than summer. And, whether negative pricing on EPEX intensifies further compared to 2025 is still unclear. Regardless of current circumstances in the market, businesses that get their infrastructure and control systems in place now will be well positioned when market conditions do shift.
For most growers, the real value does not come from any single market. It comes from stacking optimizations that add up every day.
Getting the control right
A BESS on its own only gets you so far. The real returns come from an energy management system (EMS) that keeps an eye on market prices, imbalance signals, available capacity. A smart EMS, such as Cosmos, monitors your cultivation process in real time, automatically determining the best course of action without adding anything to your day-to-day workload.
One partner, end to end
Ampowr brings battery storage, smart software and market access together in one package. Our in-house Cosmos EMS manages and steers assets across generation, storage and consumption, optimizing energy flows for lower costs, reliability and revenue.
We support the full journey from design and grid connection through to installation and maintenance. On the optimization side, we work together with you: and bring the tools, data and market knowledge, while you stay in the loop and in control. Throughout all of it, we work to high standards on safety and compliance, including ISO27001 and NIS2.
Wondering what battery storage steered by a cybersecure EMS could do for your business?Â
