Centrica Business Solutions, a British multinational energy and services company headquartered in Windsor, Berkshire, has started the construction of its first 24 MW battery storage facility outside the UK.
The first installation will be built in Ostend. The site is set to be at full capacity by early 2024. Later, the company plans more similar battery parks in Belgium.
Storage capacity
The battery installation will provide storage capacity for renewable energy from wind turbines and solar panels across Belgium. Belgium’s network operator, Elia, has selected the Ostend battery to participate in the capacity market.
Situated on land at Ostend Basic Chemicals, the battery farm will have the capacity to store energy and power 48 000 homes for two hours, enabling the grid to balance the peaks and troughs of renewable energy generation.
Renewable energy
Bill Rees, General Manager of Centrica Energy Assets: “Belgium is becoming strategically important to us. We look forward to developing even more storage systems to support the Belgian transmission system. We hope the battery farm in Ostend is the first step in many strategic investments in renewable energy assets.”
The development will support Belgium’s transition to net zero as the country prioritizes green energy after committing to shutting down five of its seven nuclear reactors by 2025.
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