Sweco to design one of Europe’s largest battery energy storage systems in Belgium

Sweco will design one of continental Europe’s largest battery parks, Green Turtle, for the energy storage company GIGA Storage Belgium. This facility will have a storage capacity of 2,800 MWh of electricity. The park will make a significant contribution to the energy grid by providing stored renewable energy during periods of low solar and wind energy production — thereby reducing Belgium’s reliance on gas power plants. Sweco will deliver the design of the civil engineering and electrical engineering works of the battery energy storage system (BESS). Construction is set to begin in the summer of 2025 with completion of the new battery park expected by 2028.

(Image of the new battery park “Green Turtle”, which Sweco will desig for the energy storage company GIGA Storage Belgium. Free use when crediting/copyright: GIGA Storage Belgium.)

The planned Green Turtle battery park will have a capacity of 700 megawatts, resulting in a storage capacity of 2,800 megawatt hours, which is equivalent to the average annual energy consumption of 385,000 households. 

“The agreement concluded with our contractors, including Sweco, to be GIGA Storage Belgium’s partner for the design of the Green Turtle battery park comprises an important milestone. This is a flagship project for us in Belgium and an important project in realising the energy transition in Europe, where access to large-scale electricity storage plays a vital role. Sweco has been selected as our partner for the integral design because of their solid expertise in battery energy storage systems (BESS),” says Joeri Siborgs, General Manager of GIGA Storage Belgium.

The battery park to be built in Dilsen-Stokkem will store surplus wind or solar energy as it is produced to make that renewable energy available on the grid during peak times. In this way, the battery park makes more efficient use of renewable energy and prevents wind turbines and large-scale solar panel parks from being switched off to relieve the grid.

“By taking on the responsibility for the integral design of the Green Turtle battery park, Sweco will support GIGA Storage in laying the foundation for a resilient and sustainable energy system. In Belgium and across Europe, Sweco’s experts are heavily involved in the expansion of renewable energy and in the adaptation of power systems and electricity grids, to support clients in meeting new capacity requirements as electrification intensifies,” says Erwin Malcorps, Business Area President of Sweco in Belgium.


Press photos

• Image of the new battery park “Green Turtle”, which Sweco will desig for the energy storage company GIGA Storage Belgium. Free use when crediting/copyright: GIGA Storage Belgium.
• Photo of Erwin Malcorps, Business Area President of Sweco in Belgium. Free use when crediting photographer Tobias Regell.
   

About the client
GIGA Storage Belgium is an energy company that develops and deploys large-scale energy storage projects within the Belgian energy network. The aim is to play a key role in securing Europe’s future electricity supply, with the ambition to achieve 3 GW of battery storage in Belgium before 2030. Read more

About Sweco’s position in the energy transition
Sweco’s experts are advising in the expansion of renewable energy and in the adaptation of power systems and electricity grids across Europe, to support clients in meeting new capacity requirements as electrification intensifies. Sweco has leading-edge expertise in energy systems and electricity grids, and delivers consulting services within transmission and distribution, wind and solar power, and hydrogen and energy storage.