Engie is building one of the largest battery parks in Europe in Vilvoorde
Engie has started building one of the largest battery parks in Europe in Vilvoorde. By building batteries, the energy company wants to respond to the growing demand for flexibility on the electricity grid.
Today, more and more electricity is generated by solar panels and wind turbines. However, these renewable energy sources also produce electricity when there is little demand, and conversely, they do not always produce enough when there is a higher demand. “The gap between production and demand is increasing,” explains Engie Belgium CEO Vincent Verbeke. "To absorb these fluctuations between supply and demand on the grid, there is a need for more flexibility."
The company is building, among other things, a new 875-megawatt gas-fired power station in Flémalle and already has the largest natural battery in the country, the Coo hydroelectric power station, in its portfolio. It wants to expand this flexible capacity by building additional battery parks.
In Vilvoorde, 250 million euros will be invested in what will become one of the largest battery parks (200 megawatts) in Europe. By 2025, the park will be able to store 800 megawatt hours of electricity. If solar panels and wind turbines generate excess energy and there is a period of high demand, the battery can inject electricity into the grid for up to four hours. This can cover the power consumption of almost 100,000 households.
Engie also wants to build battery parks in Kallo and Drogenbos. “Batteries are highly complementary to energy from wind and sun,” says Verbeke. "Our ambitions in this regard are great."
#FlandersNewsService | © BELPRESS
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