ITMGroup expands smart grid with energy storage

ITMGroup expands smart grid with energy storage

Kampen, May 25, 2018 – Elestor operates first HBr flow battery at commercial operation.

KAMPEN – With the official activation of Elestor’s hydrogen bromide flow battery, ITMGroup has taken its first steps to expand its smart grid in Kampen with a sustainable and cost-effective electricity storage technology. It enables the machine builder to take an important step in fully self-generating the electricity the company needs.

The installation at ITMGroup is intended to demonstrate on a limited scale, that the HBr flow battery, developed in-house by Elestor, is cost-effective for companies. The technology can thus contribute to reducing CO2 emissions and achieving climate targets.

The installation at ITMGroup is the first commercial placement that Elestor makes. From 2019 onwards, the storage capacity at ITMGroup will be expanded. This allows ITMGroup to be self-sufficient in energy needs, even when its own smart grid does not generate sufficient electricity, for a long period of time.

An HBr flow battery makes energy storage more economical and environmentally friendly, compared to existing technologies such as lithium-ion batteries. The economic yield of, for example, solar panels and windmills, is much higher due to the storage capacity. This makes it more attractive for more companies to invest in sustainable energy generation and storage.

Because ITMGroup has a smart grid with, among other things, 1,700 solar panels, two heat pumps and a wood chip boiler, the Kamper company offers Elestor perfect conditions for applying its innovative energy storage technology. Hester Kuypers, board member of ITMGroup: “Worldwide we are faced with an enormous task when it comes to the energy transition. By only installing more solar panels and windmills, we will not make the switch to sustainable energy. Making electricity storage affordable is therefore a necessity and Elestor’s technology brings it within reach. We think, it is important that we, as an international company, can demonstrate that it works!”

Guido Dalessi, director of Elestor: “We are very pleased with the cooperation of ITMGroup. Everyone is willing to buy the fiftieth installation of a proven technique; but the first sales are often much more difficult. ITMGroup fulfils a pioneering role in scaling up our technology. In addition, ITMGroup has plenty of technical experts who want to share their knowledge with us. They think along with us to further optimize this innovative way of storing electricity. ”

As a family business, ITMGroup strives to minimize its ecological footprint. In addition to investing in sustainable energy, it supply’s electric bikes and cars for daily traffic of employees, and it is keeping bees on the company premises. Kuypers: “As a global player, we want all our sites to operate as energy-neutral as possible, in ten different countries and we are happy to support our approximately 1,200 employees in realizing sustainable solutions. In this way we not only leave a beautiful company to future generations, but hopefully also a world as beautiful as possible.”

Based on this vision, the collaboration with Elestor has come about smoothly. Since 2014, the company has been working on the further development of cost-effective storage for electricity.

Photo: Elestor HBR flow battery installed and activated 2:
Caption: Guido Dalessi (Elestor) and Hester Kuypers (ITMGroup) symbolically activate the hydrogen bromide flow battery.

MORE ABOUT ITMGROUP
ITMGroup is a group of companies that develops and builds high-quality production machines for delicate products. These high volume, high flexible machine platforms are located at production sites all over the world. In Kampen, where headquarters are located, packaging machines and platforms for creating e-vaping cartridges are being developed. At other locations, including Poland, Luxembourg and Germany, the emphasis is more on transport systems, platforms for the production of the latest, less harmful, heat-not-burn tobacco products and the making of dishwasher detergents.