Rolls-Royce microgrid for UK Logistics Park

Rolls-Royce will provide a new integrated microgrid at Symmetry Park, a logistics center in Biggleswade, UK.

Base Power is building a new 2 MW power center at Symmetry Park, a Logistics Park located in Biggleswade, UK, about an hour's drive north of London. At its heart, there will be an integrated microgrid from Rolls-Royce.

According to Tom Leeming, the company's development director:

The installation of energy centres on our parks will provide tenants at the site with greater resilience, more competitive energy, and a pathway to fully net zero carbon in occupation" Leeming said.

Leeming estimates that the microgrid will allow tenants to save five to ten percent on their current grid energy bills.

The energy center's microgrid will be provided by Rolls-Royce's mtu brand. In addition to the photovoltaic system installed on the roof, the center will have three MTU cogeneration power plants.

It will also house two EnergyPack battery energy storage units with a capacity of 2.3 MWh. The batteries will serve a variety of loads and can also serve as Symmetry Park's main power source. Two backup generators will provide emergency power supply in urgent situations.

"We are thrilled to be the power solution provider of choice for this sustainable project" - said Andreas Görtz, president of Sustainable Power Solutions at Rolls-Royce.

Görtz went on to say that this microgrid "will undoubtedly be a blueprint for further microgrid projects all over the world."

Rolls-Royce will also provide two smart microgrid control systems to manage local solar and other connected energy sources. This includes managing the center's connection to the national power grid.

The controllers will supply electricity to Symmetry Park, selecting the best power source or combination of sources at any time.

CHP plants can be converted to hydrogen power when this energy source becomes more readily available, and the system can be expanded by adding more solar panels.

Microgrids are powering more and more logistics centers

Leeming said: "One of the priorities our clients have when deciding on a new location for their business is power." For this reason, Symmetry Park is not the only logistics center powered by a microgrid. For example, Australia's largest intermodal transportation and logistics facility has recently announced that it will install a solar microgrid to provide its tenants with reliable, greener and cheaper electricity.