European Sustainable Growth Acquisition : BOSCH sets up a three-megawatt battery power plant from ADS-TEC Energy in Reutlingen, Germany

A new large-scale battery storage system with a total output of 2.9 megawatts and a capacity of 3.4 megawatt hours has been in operation at Robert BOSCH in Reutlingen since the end of May 2022. The power plant is integrated into the site's smart grid and cushions load peaks that are mainly caused by the production of semiconductors. The plant is scalable and can grow with demand. In the area of chip production, an expansion is planned by 2025.

Batteries are an important flexibility in an increasingly decentralized energy system. They support grid stability and contribute to security of supply. In milliseconds, lithium-ion batteries can store and release large amounts of energy. If the battery units are networked and equipped with intelligent software, power plants are created that can be used for numerous self-consumption and grid service applications. Battery systems from ADS-TEC Energy are multi-talented and suitable for numerous business models. They can be optimally integrated into existing energy infrastructures. This makes them a sustainable investment in the future.

Battery power plant as concrete station

At BOSCH in Reutlingen, the storage unit is housed in a small concrete station. The associated inverters are located directly in front of it and convert the energy from direct current to alternating current. From there, it continues via transformers into the local medium-voltage grid, through which the energy is distributed to where it is needed.

ADS-TEC provided the plant with a master interface to which BOSCH applied its control system in order to control the power plant and operate it according to individual demand.

Reducing peak loads in chip production

Reutlingen mainly produces semiconductors. This causes load peaks that occur during production and in the air conditioning of the clean rooms. These high energy outputs can either be drawn from the grid or, as in Reutlingen, from a battery power plant that reserves enough energy for these load peaks. This is not only sustainable, but also brings economic advantages, since grid costs are always based on the largest power peak that occurs in a grid connection. A battery cushions these load peaks before they even occur in the grid. At the same time, the grid remains stable and protected - an important aspect with increasingly volatile renewable feed-in from wind and solar.

High quality due to high development depth

ADS-TEC Energy already has years of experience with large battery power plants, and the systems are designed to reliably store and retrieve large amounts of energy over many years. The highly integrative technology allows them to be well optimized to customer needs and easily controlled remotely. Using a simulation tool from ADS-TEC, it was possible to evaluate the load profiles of the site over the last few years. This helped in the design of the plant in advance. Solutions from ADS-TEC offer the advantage that most components of the entire hardware and software are developed and manufactured in-house. The company also offers the corresponding service, resulting in technology solutions that are available for the long term and give the customer a long-term scope for action. This also makes the systems multifunctional, because the battery systems can do much more than just cap peak loads. All grid services, self-consumption optimization, use as power amplifiers and even self-sufficient island operation can be implemented with the systems as desired. For example, BOSCH is considering using the large battery in Reutlingen to store its own PV electricity and make it available at different times.

Successful and long-term operation is ensured by the experienced service team from ADS-TEC Energy, which keeps a remote eye on the system down to the depth of each individual cell.

ADS-TEC Energy's portfolio also includes the development and management of complex hardware, software and services.

Energy storage for greater sustainability

In times of climate change, it is particularly important to combine innovation with climate protection. Storage can save around 16.3 tons of CO2 per year at BOSCH in Reutlingen. That is far more than one person consumes in total per year. But BOSCH is already thinking ahead and the site is set to grow. BOSCH published in July 2022 that the expansion of the clean areas in chip production alone will be extended by around 6000 square meters by 2025. The storage facility also has significant expansion potential, which is around 1.5 megawatts and almost 1.7 megawatt hours.

Cooperation in partnership

The plant was designed by ADS-TEC Energy and successfully brought to completion in partnership with the technical department of Bosch Facility Management in Reutlingen. Project manager Samuel del Collado of BOSCH states with satisfaction: "We are pleased with the reliable cooperation with ADS-TEC Energy and with the good overall result. Having a regional supplier brings great advantages, both for planning and implementation and in the long term for operation."

This is also confirmed by the project manager of ADS-TEC Energy, Patrick Weiss: "In the end, some things went even better than expected and we are always looking forward to further projects with BOSCH. Our joint venture forms a good starting point and the project has strengthened the partnership in every aspect."