The groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a new 200MW battery park has been held at the Engie site in Vilvoorde, Belgium in an event attended by Mayor Hans Bonte.
The French developer received the construction permit for the new battery park in July 2023 and after the project was selected for a capacity payment in October 2023, work on the project quickly started.
A site of 3.5 hectares has been prepared and will soon accommodate 320 battery modules measuring 25 metres by four metres by three metres.
The start-up will take place in two phases, with 100MW of batteries being put into service September 2025 and January 2026.
Once fully operational, the park will be able to store 800 MWh of power and feed it into the grid for four hours. This corresponds to 160,000 5kWh home batteries that, when fully charged, can cover the electricity consumption of 96,000 households.
To meet growing flexibility needs, the Engie Group wants to install 10GW of battery storage worldwide by 2030. In Belgium, in addition to the Vilvoorde site, it is developing two other battery projects in Kallo (100MW) and in Drogenbos (80MW). The permits for this have now been obtained.
“As one of the most important developers of renewable energy in Belgium, we remain committed to this,” said Engie Belgium chief executive Vincent Verbeke.
“But this technology only comes into its own when it is supplemented by flexible installations, such as this battery park, which are essential to absorb the intermittency of wind and solar production.
“Our teams are more focused than ever on meeting the growing need for flexibility, with a view to providing sustainable, reliable and affordable energy.”
Mayor of Vilvoorde Hans Bonte added: “In this way, the historic energy site along the dock will – finally – have a sustainable future.
“Where in the past a coal-fired power station and then a gas-fired power station proved to be a successful engine for the industrial development of our region, today the switch is being made to environmentally friendly and sustainable energy generation.
“The Vilvoorde site will become a crucial link in making the Belgian sustainable energy transition a success. With the joint construction of a green recreational area next to the cooling towers – with a connection to the Asiatpark – the city of Vilvoorde is strengthening its green and sustainable character.
“The cooling towers remain character-giving witnesses to the city’s industrial past.”