About the project

Together with Switch Energy, Batenburg has assisted Albert Heijn in taking the next step towards sustainability at their logistics location. Albert Heijn aims to operate in a CO2-neutral manner. The distribution center in Geldermalsen has transitioned away from natural gas and now uses heat pumps for heating, which resulted in higher energy costs. Due to network congestion, expanding the power supply and increasing contract capacity were not feasible. To address this issue, local energy generation through PV (photovoltaic) was implemented. Additionally, Albert Heijn has plans to electrify their fleet in the future. The distribution center faced a significant sustainability challenge, and we were tasked with finding a solution.

Challenge

However, the scale of this project posed challenges, as it is the largest Albert Heijn distribution center in the Netherlands. Halting business operations incurred substantial costs and would have significant implications on their operations. It was crucial to approach this challenge as efficiently as possible while minimizing disruptions to business processes.

Solution

Appropriate solutions were devised to address the challenges. Batenburg installed 16 batteries with a power capacity of 800 kW and a total capacity of 1,168 kWh to store all the generated power for later use. This allows the distribution center to manage available energy more efficiently, even during periods of high energy demand.

To optimize energy distribution, EMMA (energy monitoring and management assistant) was implemented to direct the generated energy to processes with high energy demands. When necessary, stored power from the batteries can be released and directed to high-consumption processes. This way, the Geldermalsen distribution center avoids peak loads and maximizes the use of solar energy.

All solutions were installed and planned to ensure no disruptions occurred within the business processes. Consequently, the distribution center maintained its operational efficiency and resumed activities in a more sustainable manner.

Optimal connection

To ensure the optimal functioning of the grid, we laid 250 meters of cable between the PV distribution box and the inverters. These cables were equipped with raised lids on the cable trays to allow sufficient airflow when exposed to direct sunlight. Furthermore, the batteries were connected to the distribution cables, consolidating their power supply and maximizing space utilization. In the transformer, 1000A coupled fields were implemented for the PV installation to save space. This resulted in a compact, efficient, and powerful smart grid implementation for Albert Heijn Geldermalsen.