ENGIE has begun the construction of one of Europe’s largest battery energy storage systems (BESS) at its Vilvoorde site in Belgium.

This significant milestone follows the project’s construction permit approval in July 2023 and its selection for capacity remuneration in October 2023.

The BESS Vilvoorde project, with an installed capacity of 200 MW, spans a 3.5-hectare site and will be capable of storing 800 MWh of energy in 320 battery modules, each measuring 25 metres by 4 metres by 3 metres.

This system will be able to release stored energy to the grid for up to four hours, equivalent to the capacity of 160,000 5 kWh domestic batteries, and will cover the electricity consumption of approximately 96,000 households.

The battery park has secured a 15-year contract with Elia, Belgium’s national grid operator.

The project will be executed in two phases, with the first 100 MW of batteries set to be commissioned in September 2025, followed by an additional 100 MW in January 2026.

ENGIE is also advancing two other BESS projects in Belgium, with permits already obtained for sites in Kallo (100 MW / 400 MWh) and Drogenbos (80 MW / 320 MWh).

Sébastien Arbola, Executive Vice President in charge of Flex Gen & Retail activities at ENGIE, emphasised the critical role of Battery Energy Storage Systems in the context of increasing renewable energy integration.

“With the growing share of renewable energies in the energy mix, the contribution of Battery Energy Storage Systems to ensuring the reliability and security of energy systems is becoming crucial.

“Batteries will enable the absorption of peaks in renewable energy production and the release of this energy when production is lower and consumption higher.

“These flexibility solutions will thus help accelerate the development of renewable energies and the energy transition,” Arbola stated.

The BESS Vilvoorde project aligns with ENGIE’s commitment to developing large-scale flexibility solutions, which are essential for integrating renewable energy production.

ENGIE aims to achieve 10 GW of installed battery capacity worldwide by 2030. As of December 31, 2023, ENGIE had 1.3 GW of battery capacity in operation and 3.6 GW secured under development.