Sustainability
“GIGA Storage will take over the balancing role of gas and coal-fuelled power stations and thus play an indispensable role in the realisation of the energy transition.”
Energy storage is the missing link in the energy transition.
ENERGY STORAGE IS THE MISSING LINK IN THE ENERGY TRANSITION.
ENERGY STORAGE IS THE MISSING LINK IN THE ENERGY TRANSITION.
new sustainable solutions
Generating electricity sustainably requires new solutions. The generation of energy with the help of sun and wind has a highly volatile nature, where energy is often not generated when requested. Currently, the difference between supply and demand of energy on the grid is balanced using fossil-fuelled power plants. Battery Energy Storage Systems can take over this balancing role, switching off gas and coal-fuelled power plants. GIGA Storage aims to play an instrumental role in this transition to a reliable, affordable and sustainable energy grid in Europe.
MATERIALITY – GIGA STORAGE
As a sustainable-oriented company, we feel the urge to honestly report on our impact, positive as well as negative. Materiality is part of several sustainability standards that have been designed to provide companies with a framework for reporting on non-financial information. Materiality topics are designed to provide an overview of the most significant impact of organisations on the economy, environment, and society. Based on these standards, GIGA Storage has identified three significant impact factors.
CARBON FOOTPRINT
Currently, the difference between supply and demand of energy on the grid is balanced using fossil-fuelled power plants. Battery Energy Storage Systems can take over this balancing role and thus switch off gas and coal-fuelled power plants.
When there is a production surplus of (preferably) green energy, our battery can be fully charged with this surplus. The moment the energy demand exceeds the supply, the energy that was previously stored can be supplied back to the grid. This prevents gas or coal-fuelled power stations from being switched on at these times. To illustrate this, you can click on the right to see the live dashboard with the total CO2 emissions saved so far by using our GIGA batteries. Please refer to the project page for the savings and sustainability of each specific project.
The meters per project start in red because the battery’s CO2 emissions in the development phase (construction, transport and installation) are included in the calculation.
AFFORDABLE, RELIABLE AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SYSTEM
Large-scale energy storage of renewable electricity can take over the balancing role of gas and coal-fuelled power stations. The generation of solar and wind energy is volatile by nature, but by storing energy at times of a production surplus, this green energy can be supplied back to the grid at times when individuals and companies ask for it. This results in a reliable, affordable and, above all, sustainable energy system in which locally generated energy is used efficiently.
Levelling off peak moments of energy production ensures that the available space on the grid is better distributed, so that more individuals, companies and solar and wind producers can be connected to the grid.
SUPPLY CHAIN
The supply chain of the GIGA batteries can be divided into several phases. Whereas the use of large-scale energy storage during the operational phase has a positive impact on, for example, the prevention of CO2 emissions, the supply chain also has a negative impact. While mining, assembling, transporting, and constructing, CO2 is emitted. Besides heavy metals such as cobalt, copper and nickel are processed. These metals are not finitely available, so recycling and reuse are of great importance during and after the degradation of the battery systems.
GIGA Storage tries to improve the impact of each new project. By executing a life cycle analysis, GIGA Storage is providing insight on the negative impact connected to the development of the Buffalo battery system. Besides, whereas the GIGA Rhino project still incorporates cobalt, the GIGA Buffalo is completely cobalt-free. To reduce CO2 emissions in the Buffalo project, GIGA Storage has also been looking for more sustainable alternatives for the construction of its concrete foundation. Please find the result of the life cycle analysis and the report on sustainable concrete below.
Fair Cobalt Alliance
By joining the Fair Cobalt Alliance, GIGA Storage is committed to making cobalt mining more humane and sustainable.
GIGa foundation
GIGA Storage donates 0.5% of annual profits to the GIGA Foundation.