- Construction of a heat storage system with reconversion
- Engineering competence helping to ensure energy transformation in Germany succeeds
Industrial services provider Bilfinger is applying its engineering competence to help ensure the success of the energy transformation in Germany. Bilfinger is developing and delivering plant technology for a heat storage system including reconversion for Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy. The system is setting standards for economic efficiency. Excess wind and solar energy is stored and fed into the grid when needed. Order volume is in the single-digit million-euro range.
In the plant for the storage of excess electrical energy, power generated from wind is used to heat rock-fill protected by an insulation jacket. In this way, energy can be stored in a cost-efficient manner. To allow for later feeding into the energy grid, airflow transmits the heat stored in the rocks to a conventional, high dynamic steam power plant. The plant’s steam turbine converts the energy back into electricity.
Tom Blades, CEO at Bilfinger: “Germany’s energy transformation is in full swing. The order from Siemens Gamesa shows that there’s also demand for our expertise in the area of renewable energies. At the same time, we are continuing a strong partnership with the customer.”
The plant will be built in Hamburg. Plant engineering along with the water-steam cycle will be provided by Bilfinger while the heat storage, boiler and turbine will come from Siemens. The company carrying out the order is Bilfinger Engineering & Technologies GmbH in close cooperation with Bilfinger Rohrleitungsbau GmbH. The company was already involved in the construction of a test facility for heat storage – the preceding project. The heat storage system was developed by Siemens Gamesa together with the Technical University Hamburg-Harburg and the utility company Hamburg Energie.
“With Bilfinger we are relying on a partner that has already delivered components for the previous test project”, says Program Manager Till Barmeier from Siemens Gamesa. “We are therefore confident that we will be able to use our shared experience to turn this innovative concept into a success within 14 months.”