Eneco's largest battery will see the light of day in 2024.

Mechelen, June 7, 2023. Eneco is investing in a major battery energy storage project in Wallonia, in Belgium. With the installation of a 50MW (200 MWh) of battery energy storage, sustainably generated electricity can be used more efficiently to balance Belgium's electricity grid. The permit has been obtained, the battery ordered and preparatory study works are underway to have the project operational by the end of 2024. The battery power plant in Ville-sur-Haine in Wallonia will be fully owned.

In concrete?

The Battery Energy Storage System consists of 53 Megapacks energy storage units from Tesla, for a total of 50 MW (200 MWh) of storage. The Battery Energy Storage System can supply power to the grid for 4 hours. A growing number of wind turbines and solar panels are taking over much of the power production from existing fossil fuel power plants. However, there is not always electricity from wind and solar, the demand is only partly controllable and therefore it is important to have flexible storage. This makes it possible to offer (spare) capacity when needed to keep the power grid in balance. In cooperation with Belgian high-voltage grid operator Elia, the battery ensures that the ever-increasing volumes of variable solar and wind energy can be deployed in an efficient way and keeps grid power in balance.

"We are strengthening our renewable energy activities in order to contribute to reducing CO2 emissions. In this regard, energy storage is very important to absorb the fluctuations of renewable energy. This project is an important step for us towards a CO2-neutral energy system in 2035," said Tine Deheegher, manager Renewable Energy Solutions at Eneco.

The battery energy storage project is another step in Eneco's investments in Belgium's transition to a fully sustainable energy system. With 128 onshore wind turbines, Belgium's 2 largest offshore wind farms and nearly 400,000 solar panels, it is the largest green and the greenest major energy player in the country. By fully deploying battery energy storage, Eneco is contributing to a future-proof, reliable and affordable energy system in Belgium.

Why?

With this project, Eneco is taking a new step towards a fully sustainable energy system in Belgium and fulfilling the One Planet Plan with the ambition of being fully climate neutral by 2035. Batteries play an important role in achieving this ambition and the goal is to develop even more of them. ​

The energy transition - in which electricity is generated from renewable sources such as solar and wind - poses challenges for the power grid. The supply of electricity from solar and wind fluctuates and yet supply and demand must always be balanced. Battery power plants bring relief here. They are fully charged at times when there is an abundance of sun and wind, for instance in the afternoon when the sun is shining brightly. A few hours later, in the evening, the power is then released back onto Elia's grid.

"In the energy system of the future, flexibility is crucial," said Tine Deheegher, manager Renewable Energy Solutions at Eneco. "Thanks to this project, we contribute to the smart use and control of electricity in a cost-efficient way. This way, we keep the impact on energy bills minimal and support the expansion of renewable energy."

"This project will be connected to Elia's high-voltage grid (150kV) because the tariff framework encourages it," Tine Deheegher said. "The government should make efforts to trigger investments at the lower voltage levels as well. There too, storage is necessary for optimal grid operation. Eneco, and by extension the whole market, is ready to make the necessary investments there too."

Ambitions

Eneco has more plans in terms of battery power plants. Battery power plants are key in the system. Eneco wants to go full steam ahead with sustainable flexibility.

"It will not stop with this project," concludes Tine Deheegher. "To make the One Planet Plan possible, Eneco wants to build more storage capacity both in Belgium and in the other countries where we operate. This is just the beginning. Several hundred more MW will follow in the coming years."

Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten: "The energy transition is in full swing. Battery farms are an essential link in the energy grid of the future, because they are charged at times when there is an abundance of cheap green electricity. This thus ensures structurally low prices, even when there is less wind or sun and the electricity is fed back into the grid. Thanks to Belgium's attractive investment policy and exemption from transmission tariffs and excise duties, the largest battery farms in Europe are being built in Belgium. Eneco is once again showing itself to be a forerunner and partner in the energy transition towards 100% renewable energy."