- Moselle launches France’s fourth-largest storage site with 44 MWh capacity to support renewable energy integration and grid stability.
- A second facility with 65 MWh capacity will be added within 18 months, raising total storage to over 100 MWh with a €50 million investment.
- GazelEnergie proposes a €100 million project to convert the nearby Emile-Huchet coal plant into a biogas facility, securing local jobs and boosting eco-energy initiatives.
Saint-Avold, Moselle, recently launched a central energy storage facility, marking a significant step in France’s energy transition. This site now ranks the country’s fourth-largest with a 44 megawatt-hour (MWh) capacity. The facility will strengthen the electrical grid and support renewable energy integration.
The system contains 24 containers with 155,000 battery cells, which store energy produced mainly by solar and wind power. “The aim is to release stored energy during peak demand periods,” said Arnaud Boutin, project director at GazelEnergie.
Energy storage plays a vital role in solving renewable energy’s intermittency challenge. Corentin Sivy, development director at Q Energy, described the project as “the start of a new era for controllable renewable energy.”
In the next 18 months, the Saint-Avold site will add a second facility with a 65 MWh capacity. This expansion will increase the total storage to over 100 MWh. The additional storage will require a €30 million investment, bringing the project’s overall cost to €50 million.
The facility’s location near the Emile-Huchet coal power plant links it to another energy project. The plant resumed operations in early November to meet winter electricity demand. Despite its current activity, the coal plant faces an uncertain future.
Frédéric Faroche, president of GazelEnergie, confirmed plans to convert the coal plant into a biogas facility. The company submitted the proposal in September. Converting the plant would require €100 million and transform it into an eco-energy hub. “This project shows our commitment to investing in France and protecting jobs,” Faroche said.
The Emile-Huchet plant currently employs around 100 people and indirectly supports 400 additional jobs. Its future highlights the economic and environmental stakes of France’s energy transition.
The Saint-Avold project underscores the need for effective energy storage solutions as France pushes toward renewable energy. The facility helps balance energy supply and demand, particularly given the solar and wind power production fluctuations. Storing electricity during low-demand periods allows for its use during peak consumption, ensuring grid stability.
Saint-Avold’s storage project is one of several initiatives to enhance France’s energy system. The country aims to create a more flexible and resilient grid with more facilities like this.
The expansion of Saint-Avold also reflects France’s long-term energy goals. Adding 65 MWh in capacity will increase the site’s ability to store renewable energy, contributing to the national energy strategy.
As renewable energy grows in France, the need for robust storage solutions intensifies. Projects like Saint-Avold are paving the way for a future where clean energy can reliably meet demand, driving economic growth while supporting environmental sustainability.