As a new world takes shape in the field of energy, progressive energy companies are working to replace fossil-based energy sources with renewable alternatives. Ensuring a smooth transition to renewable energy presents many challenges to innovators, including MET Group, which is the first company in Hungary to install a Tesla Megapack energy storage system on site at the Dunamenti Power Plant.
To coincide with the installation of the Megapack, MET has welcomed the SolarButterfly in Százhalombatta, a solar-powered vehicle that promotes sustainability during its world tour. The Hungarian Minister for Innovation and Technology, László Palkovics, gave a speech at the event.
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 on September 9. 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 Dunamenti 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 team’s experiences so far on the journey.
MET Group
MET Group is an integrated European energy company, headquartered in Switzerland, with activities and assets in natural gas and power markets. MET is present in 13 countries through subsidiaries, 27 national gas markets, and 22 international trading hubs. In 2021, MET Group’s consolidated sales revenue amounted to EUR 18,1 billion, the volume of traded natural gas was 55 BCM, traded electricity 50+ TWh.