France's Engie has begun constructing a 200 MW / 800 MWh Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) at its site in Vilvoorde, Belgium. The move comes after the project received its construction permit last July.
The 3.5-hectare site, with 320 battery modules measuring 25 x 4 x 3 meters will be among Europe's largest and longest duration energy storage projects: its offers four hours of backup. Engie has a 15-year contract with Elia, Belgium's national grid operator, for the battery.
Engie is also developing two other four-hour BESS projects in Belgium for which it has obtained permits: a 100 MW / 400 MWh project in Kallo and a 80 MW / 320 MWh battery in Drogenbos. As of December 31, 2023, the company had 1.3 GW of battery capacity in operation and 3.6 GW under development.
The Vilvoorde BESS will be launched in two phases, with 100 MW of batteries commissioned in September 2025, and a further 100 MW commissioned in January 2026.
Sébastien Arbola, executive vice president in charge of Flex Gen & Retail, Engie, said in a release: "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."