Alfen upgrades, relocates BESS project at Dutch wind farm

Alfen has successfully upgraded and relocated a battery energy storage system (BESS) at Wind Park Hartel 2 in Rotterdam’s port area in a bid to optimize grid connections and enhance renewable energy stability.

The Dutch integrator worked alongside its local partners energy company Greenchoice and energy storage project developer Green Energy Storage on the relocation of the existing large-scale battery system to a new site and the installation of a larger and more advanced system.

Alfen delivered the original project with a power output of 10 MW back in 2018, describing it as the first large-scale stationary battery storage system in the Netherlands. This system has now been relocated to the trading hub at wind park Hellegatsplein, 50 km southeast, making way for a larger 20 MW/40 MWh project at the original site.

Alfen supplied the new project with its TheBattery Elements lithium iron phosphate (LFP) solution, an industrial and modular design for 1 MW to 100+MW battery storage projects. It also implemented a skid-mounted design, which allows the battery system to be temporarily removed if maintenance is required on a wind turbine, reducing downtime and making operations more flexible.

This upgrade will ensure that more renewable power from the eight wind turbines is stored and used when needed, reducing loss of energy and helping to stabilize the electricity grid. To support auxiliary power, Alfen integrated an additional in-house made Diabolo 20H transformer substation.

“It’s great to see how this project has come full circle,” said Stephanie Schockaert, commercial director for Alfen’s Energy Storage Systems business line. “We built the original system in 2018, and now we’ve not only scaled it up but we also found a second life for the older batteries at a new location. “This kind of innovation, flexibility and reuse is exactly what we need to make the energy transition more efficient.”

Greenchoice, which financed the project through Triodos Bank, will oversee commercial operation and asset management. “Investing in storage solutions like this is crucial if we want to make the most of wind and solar energy,” said Maurice Koenen, director sourcing & portfolio at Greenchoice. “By giving batteries a second life and designing systems that can adapt to changing needs, we’re making renewable power even more sustainable.”

Green Energy Storage led the project’s development, including securing permits, land agreements, and coordination with grid operators and other stakeholders. “A project like this requires a lot of moving parts to come together,” said Guus Bengsch, director at Green Energy Storage.

The new storage system will play a crucial role in grid stability, balancing supply and demand through key applications such as imbalance control, FCR (Frequency Containment Reserve), aFRR (automatic Frequency Restoration Reserve), and mFRR (manual Frequency Restoration Reserve). This makes it an invaluable asset for grid operators, ensuring a more resilient and responsive electricity network.

This project follows other successful collaborations among Alfen, Greenchoice and Green Energy Storage, including 22 mobile batteries at trading hub Zonnepark de Dijken, stationary batteries at wind farm Windpark De Plaet, and more projects in the pipeline.