Sweco will design one of Europe’s largest battery-based energy storage systems in Belgium

Sweco, a Swedish engineering consultancy, announced that it will design Green Turtle in Belgium, one of Europe's biggest battery energy storage systems. Sweco designed the battery park for the company GIGA Storage Belgium.

Why it matters:

Sweco stated that the park will make a significant contribution towards the grid, by storing renewable energy in times of low solar or wind energy production. This will reduce Belgium's dependence on gas-fired power plants.

By the Numbers:

The Green Turtle battery park is planned to have a 700 megawatt capacity, equivalent to 385,000 homes' average annual energy usage.

The new battery park is expected to be finished by 2028. Construction of the project will begin in 2025.

CONTEXT:

Europe wants to get 42.5% from renewable energy sources by 2030. However, the process for obtaining grid permits has been slow and the power networks of the zone are not being upgraded quickly.

In this context, EU regulators approved last month a 682-million euro Belgian scheme of state aid to support renewable offshore winds energy.

Key Quote:

The agreement reached with Sweco to become GIGA Storage Belgium’s partner in the design of Green Turtle Battery Park is an important milestone, said Joeri Sborgs, General Director of GIGA Storage Belgium.

He added that "this is a landmark project for Belgium and an important one in realising Europe's energy transition, where large-scale storage of electricity plays a crucial role."

(source: Reuters)