International energy company MET Group is the first to install Tesla’s energy storage unit, Megapack in Százhalombatta, Hungary on site of the company’s Dunamenti Power Plant to support the shift from fossil fuels to renewables.
Swiss-based MET Group has worked to expand its renewables portfolio in recent years and by now, the company has built, operates and is developing wind and solar parks in Hungary, Bulgaria, Spain, Italy, and Poland.
“MET is fully committed to supporting the energy transition. In addition to building renewable power plants, the company seeks to facilitate this transition with investments aimed at boosting the flexibility of production,” said Balázs Gábor Lehőcz, vice president of MET Asset Management Holding AG.
The first such project is the installation of an energy storage system consisting of three Tesla MegaPack based lithium-ion batteries, which have arrived on site at the Dunamenti Power Plant today.
The three MegaPack containers have a capacity of 7.68 MWh, which can be used as required, for example to maintain the balance in the power grid to ensure security of electricity supply to customers at times of peak consumption.
The system will be capable of storing energy for two hours, which is almost unique in Hungary, since the energy storage practice in the country has so far been based on performance-optimized storage cycles of half an hour to one hour maximum, informs MET Group.
“We expect a rapid rise of energy storage solutions in the electricity sector over the next decade. So, following this pilot project, we plan to install additional electricity storage capacities in the coming years. Thus, the fact that we joined the Hungarian Battery Association today holds particular importance for us,” said Péter Horváth, the CEO of Dunamenti Power Plant.
Conciding with the installation of the MegaPack, MET Group has also welcomed the SolarButterfly in Százhalombatta, a solar-powered vehicle that promotes sustainability during its world tour. Hungarian Minister for Technology and Industry, László Palkovics, gave a speech at the event.
The Butterfly made its first stop in Hungary in Százhalombatta on its four-year journey around the world. Louis Palmer, the developer of the SolarButterfly, spoke about the Butterfly team’s experiences so far on the journey.
