Giga Storage, a Dutch developer of battery energy storage systems (BESS), has commenced construction on its largest project to date, the Giga Leopard. This standalone BESS will have a capacity of 300 megawatts (MW) and an energy storage capacity of 1,200 megawatt-hours (MWh), equivalent to 1.2 gigawatt-hours (GWh).
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The project is located in Delfzijl, Groningen, in the northeast of the Netherlands, on the site of the former Damco Aluminum Delfzijl (Aldel) smelting plant. In September 2024, the news of the plant's shutdown was announced due to continuous high energy costs and insufficient government support.
Giga Storage's flagship project
The construction for Giga Storage's flagship project began after securing €300 million (approximately US$342 million) in project financing from eight undisclosed lenders, with commissioning expected in the latter half of 2027. This development is a significant milestone for Giga Storage, which initiated its first 12MW project through crowdfunding in 2020. The company has since expanded its operations in the Netherlands and neighbouring Belgium.
The Giga Leopard project addresses challenges in the Dutch energy sector, such as grid congestion and land scarcity, by repurposing the existing infrastructure of the defunct aluminium smelter. In 2023, Giga Storage acquired the site's distribution grid through bankruptcy proceedings, facilitating a connection to the high-voltage transmission network.
In the case of the Giga Leopard project, Giga Storage managed to bypass long grid connection delays by acquiring the local distribution grid in Groningen. This grid had previously served the DAMCO Aluminium Delfzijl Coöperatie UA smelters, formerly occupying the site. Giga Storage purchased the grid through bankruptcy proceedings in 2023, securing access to the high-voltage transmission network.
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Giga Storage appointed engineering firm Sweco in October last year to design its 700MW/2,800MWh Green Turtle project following the granting of permits in April. Although Green Turtle moved forward earlier in terms of permitting and design, Giga Leopard is set to break ground first. In a Premium interview with Energy-Storage.news in July last year, Giga Storage's Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) confirmed that construction on Giga Leopard would begin ahead of Green Turtle.
The Netherlands has been rapidly scaling up its energy storage capabilities. Prior to Giga Leopard, the largest operational standalone BESS in the country was SemperPower’s 30MW/68MWh Pollux project, the 45MW/90MWh Project Amethyst and a 31.6MW/126.4MWh system optimised by utility Eneco. These developments reflect the Netherlands' commitment to phasing out coal and integrating more renewable energy sources, necessitating robust energy storage solutions to manage grid stability and energy supply.
Image Source: Giga Storage
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