Exide Technologies, a global provider of stored energy solutions for the automotive and industrial markets, has announced two new photovoltaic installations with a total capacity of 3.8 MWp in Portugal. These will be situated at Exide’s production facility in Castanheira do Ribatejo and its recycling plant in Azambuja. The production facility will be backed by an energy storage system using GNB’s high-performance battery technology, allowing the energy generated to be consumed as required. It will be one of the largest self-consumption generation units with storage in Europe, showcasing the potential for systems of this kind to be deployed at scale.
The project will be managed and delivered by global energy provider EDP, working closely with Exide to deliver the energy storage component.
An official contract signing took place last week at the Castanheira do Ribatejo facility, followed by the official project commencement. Stefan Stübing, president EMEA, was there on behalf of Exide, while EDP was represented by Vera Pinto Pereira, an executive board member and commercial EDP CEO.
Exide says this flagship project shows an exciting path forward for energy-intensive manufacturers, with the ability to reduce carbon emissions and move toward products produced free of CO2. The introduction of the BESS (battery energy storage system) allows renewable energy to be leveraged to a greater extent and provides power at night and during periods of reduced sunlight. The project forms part of a range of investments by Exide at its Castanheira plant, including the recent start of a new multi-million AGM Network Power production line.
The new installations will have approximately 10,000 photovoltaic panels and the energy produced by the installations would be enough to supply more than 2,000 homes. The system also will comprise around 70 inverters and a bank of GNB Sonnenschein A600 batteries for energy storage, providing 500kWh of energy.
GNB Sonnenschein A600 is known for its exceptional performance in Network Power applications and has been proven over decades in many complex installations around the world. Its maintenance-free gel technology offers a range of safety benefits, according to Exide. It has a tubular plate design and excellent protection against deep discharge for maximum energy efficiency and cycle life. Horizontal mounting enables easier installation and maintenance. The battery also is completely recyclable, minimizing its environmental impact.
“Our Castanheira plant is becoming one of the most advanced of its kind anywhere in the world. We recently undertook a significant investment to increase the facility’s network power capacity, and today we’re announcing our next-generation industrial energy system,” said Exide’s Stübing. “More and more companies will rely on self-generated power backed by a BESS (battery energy storage system) in years to come, especially in energy-demanding sectors like manufacturing. We’re delighted to be at the forefront of this development, with companies able to reduce their ecological footprint and achieve operational savings.”
“EDP is committed to providing its customers with sustainable and efficient solutions. This is EDP’s largest solar energy project in Portugal, and it will allow us to take an important step toward the world of storage technology,” said EDP’s Pinto Pereira.
