Smart battery makes Dutch distribution center completely sustainable
Sunrock and Prologis have delivered a fully sustainable distribution center in Tilburg. What makes this site unique is that the grid connection is smaller than the capacity of the solar installation. Thanks to our smart 1 MW battery system, the rooftop now generates enough solar power not only for the warehouse itself, but also for the surrounding stores, the head office and even the fleet of electric trucks.
About Prologis & Sunrock
Prologis is one of the world's largest developers of distribution centers. Sunrock is the market leader in large-scale solar roofs in the Netherlands. Together, they set the standard for sustainable logistics real estate development. For this project, they sought a solution that would enable locally generated energy to be used in a smart, efficient, and future-proof manner.
The challenge
The Prologis and Sunrock distribution center in Tilburg is a model of sustainable ambition, with a roof area of 88.000 m² that can accommodate nearly 20.000 solar panels. The solar power generated is more than enough to supply the warehouse, offices, shops, and electric trucks with energy. But the reality proved to be more complex: the grid connection is smaller than the capacity of the solar installation and cannot handle the full production.
The main challenges:
- 4 MWp of solar power on a 1.750 kVA connection,
- a high risk of disconnection due to feed-in restrictions,
- mismatch between solar power and the distribution center's energy needs,
- desire to also charge electric trucks with its own power.
“To meet future energy demand, it is necessary to use battery storage systems to achieve smart control of solar panels, charging stations, heat pumps, and the like. This optimizes all energy flows and evens out peak load"
Jan Willem de Jong
CEO iwell
The solution
Together with Sunrock and Prologis, we created an integrated energy system with smart battery storage. The iwell Mega Cube manages energy behind the meter and makes local solar energy available when demand is high.
In concrete terms, this means:
- 1 MW / 2.5 MWh battery system for storage and peak shaving,
- direct connection to 20,000 solar panels,
- use of 350 kW fast chargers for e-trucks,
- optimization and balancing via EMS,
- additional income through participation in the TenneT markets.
Own solar power, smart storage
The distribution center in Tilburg will soon run largely on its own solar power, independent of grid restrictions or price fluctuations. Thanks to battery storage and smart energy management, sustainable ambitions are becoming reality, while the business case is becoming stronger. Major players such as Prologis and Sunrock are demonstrating that the combination of solar and battery is indispensable in the energy transition.
Curious how we can help your company?
Mark Duxbury
Country Director UK