Belgium-based engineering group CMI Energy has launched a full-scale pilot project that integrates solar with battery energy storage at the firm’s headquarters in Seraing.
The Micro Réseau Intégré Seraing (MiRIS) energy storage pilot plant comprises a 2MWp (megawatt peak— indicating the maximum output of a plant) 1.75 gigawatt-hours per year (GWh/yr) solar PV system, with 6,500 rooftop and carport panels. The 4.2 megawatt-hour energy storage system consists of a lithium-ion system and “two separate flow battery systems”.
CMI Energy president Jean-Michel Gheeraerdts said: “We now have ways to use green energy sources that eradicate their major flaw: intermittent production. Energy storage and management can be applied in a number of fields as an alternative to diesel generators for (grid) unconnected regions.”
The MiRIS pilot plant is connected with the existing electrical network of the headquarters of the CMI Group, of which CMI Energy is part— a facility that consumes about 1.3GWh/yr.
CMI said MiRIS will “facilitate investigation of the interoperability of renewables and different energy storage technologies for a variety of user energy profiles”. In addition, the system will allow the company to evaluate “microgrid ‘islanding’ operation, potential grid ancillary service opportunities, and the influence of user demand response”.
