Megawatt-scale battery storage system commissioned at Speira in Hamburg

At the beginning of November 2021, the installation of EDF Renewables' smart battery storage system was completed at the Speira aluminium rolling and recycling company in Hamburg. With the completion, 272 battery modules will provide 1.6 MW of power for one hour – enough to support the grid operator in stabilising the electricity grid with the help of intelligent load management. At the same time, the use of battery storage reduces the company's electricity costs.

Battery storage for metalworking industry: A worthwhile investment

Efficient energy management saves industrial companies electricity costs. But with the use of powerful battery storage systems, companies for which load management has not been feasible so far can now also benefit. This is because many industrial companies cannot simply interrupt or curb their production processes in order to reduce peak loads (peak shaving) or postpone them. The batteries enable so-called atypical grid use, as they store electricity and provide it to the company during the periods defined by the grid operator (peak times).

On average, grid tariffs account for 20 percent of total electricity costs. This share can be reduced by load shifting or peak shaving – because grid operators incentivise companies to actively contribute to grid stability with reduced fees.

Battery storage supports the energy transition

Intelligent energy storage systems such as the battery storage systems from EDF Renewables make a significant contribution to the success of the energy transition. They ensure the supply security of all consumers by helping to keep the electricity system controllable in the face of the increasing share of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. Electricity generation and consumption are unevenly distributed regionally, and the yields from photovoltaics and wind power also fluctuate depending on the weather. Battery storage systems help to compensate for this because they can be used locally or regionally and, through atypical use, relieve the regional grid during peak times. This also helps to reduce the need for cost-intensive expansion of the transport and distribution grids. Battery storage is considered a key technology of the energy transition because it can be used in a decentralised and flexible manner.

"As an industrial company with a high energy demand, we need to ensure a stable power supply for our operations at Speira Hamburg. The battery storage solution from EDF Renewables is an essential part of this. It also gives us the opportunity to take another step towards the energy transition. We are very pleased that with the battery storage system we are also relaxing the whole electricity grid during peak load times. This ultimately helps everyone who needs electricity," says Mr. Jan Peterlic, plant manager, Speira Hamburg.