The energy revolution currently unfolding around the world is aimed at mitigating the impacts of climate change through the transition to sustainable and clean energy sources. To this end, 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. 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.
“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, CEO of Dunament Power Plant.
The arrival of the 18-meter-long SolarButterfly vehicle equipped with LONGI solar panels to Dunamenti Power Plant, scheduled to coincide with the presentation of the projects designed to support sustainability, added a special dimension to 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 and its journey.
"If we want to create attention for a certain project, we need the press. For that, we must create events around them. We are planning to visit more than 1000 projects in four years on six continents, and create events with the local population, the schools, politicial leaders and the press.
"If we want to make it interesting, we need something that is creating attention, something unqiue. Best would be a striking vehicle. So I decided to build a huge butterfly, which is at the same time a role model for sustainable living. And of course, its wings will be covered with very efficient solar cells, so that it can drive with 100 % solar energy," said Palmer.
