In the shadow of the TotalEnergies refinery on Scheldelaan, a site with dozens of white containers is currently being built. At least, that’s what it seems at first glance. The containers contain batteries that can store 50Mw/150Mwh at full strength. The energy stored in the batteries corresponds to the annual electricity consumption of approximately 20,000 Belgian families.
TotalEnergy stores electricity in forty containers to feed the European and Belgian high-voltage network. — © Jan Van der Perre
When the battery park is ready at the end of this year, there will be forty such containers on the energy company’s site. These will supply the European and Belgian high-voltage network around the clock. Next year, construction of a similar site will start in Feluy, Wallonia. The capacity of that second battery park is the same as the installation in the port of Antwerp.
“The electrification of production in Antwerp ensures that we can carry out more and more industrial activities without carbon emissions. We are also systematically replacing our vehicles with electric models and the charging stations at our site in Antwerp work with green energy,” says Jacques Beuckelaers, general manager of TotalEnergies in Antwerp.
“Sustainable ambitions”
TotalEnergies has been located in the port of Antwerp for 75 years and operates charging points as an energy supplier in Antwerp, Brussels and Ghent, among others. In addition to oil, biofuels, natural gas and green gas, the multinational is now also increasingly focusing on renewable energy sources and electricity.
“The chemical sector has announced billions in sustainable investments in recent years”
Annick De Ridder
Harbor ships
According to Annick De Ridder (N-VA), who is also chairman of the board of directors of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, TotalEnergies’ choice to build its largest European battery park in Antwerp underlines the “great sustainable ambitions” of the port. “Studies show that, thanks to the efforts of the entire port community, we have reduced our ecological footprint over the past ten years, while our throughput and production are increasing. As a government, we try to attract investments and facilitate them as much as possible. And that works. The chemical sector, for example, has announced billions in sustainable investments in recent years,” says Annick De Ridder.
Alderman Annick De Ridder (second from left) and federal minister Tinne Van der Straeten, among others, symbolically put the plug in the TotalEnergies project. — © Jan Van der Perre
“Nuclear power stations cannot be closed sustainably”
Annick De Ridder also had a message for Federal Minister of Energy Tinne Van der Straeten (Green), who was also present at the presentation of the battery park. “Take the concerns about security of energy supply for our industry seriously. In that context, closing five nuclear power stations is absolutely neither a forward-looking nor sustainable move. Our industry is reaching its limits.”
“The more renewable energy we have in our energy mix, the more flexible solutions and storage we need”
Tinne Van der Straeten (Green)
Federal Minister of Energy
Tinne Van der Straeten did not take up the challenge, but pointed out the important role of battery parks such as this one from TotalEnergies. “The more renewable energy we have in our energy mix, the more flexible solutions and storage we need. Batteries are therefore an indispensable part of the energy transition,” said the minister.
Tags: TotalEnergies battery park port Antwerp corresponds annual energy consumption families Antwerp
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