Courcelles BESS

The battery park is being built right next to the Elia substation in Courcelles. The battery park will have a planned capacity of 200 MW and will be connected to the Elia 380 kV grid. The park stores electricity when there is a surplus and returns it when there is a shortage. In this way, it helps to balance the Belgian electricity grid in a CO₂-neutral way.

This location is particularly well suited for the construction of a BESS project for several reasons. There is ample space available to develop the installation while keeping the impact on neighbouring residents and land users to a minimum. The plots are located directly next to an Elia high-voltage substation at Courcelles, where sufficient capacity is available on the transmission network to accommodate the project’s 200 MW / 800 MWh connection. Existing high-voltage power lines and the nearby substation already dominate the landscape, which helps to limit the additional visual impact of the BESS installation. All these factors combined – sufficient land, close proximity to a strong grid connection with available capacity, and an environment already characterised by energy and transport infrastructure – make this location particularly well suited for the development of a BESS project in Courcelles.

The project will ensure that extensive vegetation is planted around the site to reduce its visual impact. The only area where this will not be possible is directly beneath the existing high-voltage lines, where it is not permitted under current regulations. In addition, the site has been designed in such a way that it minimises the visual impact of the existing Elia substation, thereby contributing positively to the surrounding environment.

Yes. The battery park in Courcelles will clearly contribute to local biodiversity through a series of targeted ecological measures.
In the western part of the site, three water features will be created, surrounded by diverse shoreline and aquatic vegetation. The embankments will be planted with hedgerows and trees, including species that produce nectar, flowers, and fruits to support insects, birds, and other wildlife. Shelter areas for fauna will also be created, such as piles of logs and rocks, and nest boxes will be installed for bats and songbirds. Additionally, nutrient-poor grasslands on a sand–loam substrate and small ponds with varied planting will be established, offering additional habitats. Finally, several sections of the site will be sown with grain or native seed mixes and left unharvested to provide food for overwintering songbirds and small animals.
Together, these measures ensure that the site is not only functional but also contributes to a more resilient and diverse ecosystem.

No, the battery containers are fireproof. They contain sensors and fire-resistant materials, switch off automatically in the event of overheating and are placed spacious enough to prevent the spread of fire. The site is accessible to the fire brigade via two entrances.

Yes, like many industrial installations, BESS sites do produce noise. This noise mainly comes from two sources: the high-voltage transformer, which can emit a humming sound, and the fans inside the battery containers, which are needed to cool the equipment. Additionally, the inverters also generate some noise, though to a lesser extent. Even in the worst-case scenario, with no other background noise, the system running at full load and the least favorable wind conditions, the battery park only causes a barely noticeable increase in the existing ambient noise.