The energy concept of the urbanharbor neighbourhood in the heart of the district town of Ludwigsburg won the "Smart Grids and Storage Demonstration Project" funding call of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry for the Environment, Climate and Energy Management and has since been considered one of the milestones for the local energy transition. Quarter owner Max Maier laid the foundation for this holistic smart grid project by commissioning the Stadtwerke Ludwigsburg-Kornwestheim (SWLB) to supply the Werkzentrum with heating and cooling. SWLB realised it in cooperation with the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) and other local partners such as the Nürtingen-based battery specialist ADS-TEC Energy.
An all-in-one mains storage unit as an all-rounder
As an all-in-one outdoor solution, the storage system combines an integrated battery unit, power electronics, air conditioning, security and control unit. It is particularly powerful and can absorb large amounts of electricity within milliseconds and release it again with a high output. The storage unit is integrated into the so-called "EnergieHafenWest" - a commercial tenant power model with cross-sector, forecast-optimised operation, which sensibly combines producers and consumers of heat, cold and electricity and markets the locally generated environmentally friendly energy to the resident companies and the charging stations on the site. Due to their high functionality and quality, battery systems from ADS-TEC Energy offer an optimal basis for complex operating models.
Hybrid power plant for complex energy management
In combination with a combined heat and power unit and a subsequently integrated PV system, the system temporarily stores surplus energy, which can then be used to supply a heat pump and a cold storage tank. In this way, the waste heat from the CHP unit can be fed into the heating network and, at the same time, the self-consumption of the electricity generated by the CHP unit and the PV system can be optimised. The project was successfully completed at the end of 2021 with a 2-month test operation. Since then, the energy power plant has continued to develop with the goal of energy efficiency and CO2 reduction. In the next step, the neighbourhood's charging stations will now also be supplied with their own electricity around the clock via the PowerBooster.
Commercial battery storage solutions with potential
CEO Thomas Speidel of ADS-TEC Energy sees a growing potential in the use of large commercial batteries towards an energy supply with a high degree of self-sufficiency: "Battery storage is an elementary building block for a decentralised energy supply. Our PowerBooster is a real all-rounder. It contributes to the stabilisation of the electricity grid and helps to reduce expensive grid expansion. We are very pleased to be a part of this innovative quarter with our storage." With its high performance and cycle stability, the battery system fits perfectly with the sophisticated energy concept of the urbanharbor area - not least because it is cutting-edge technology from the region.
CO2 neutrality by 2030
The vision of the Maier family of entrepreneurs includes all factors of living and doing business in their 200,000 square metre area and takes a very broad view of the concept of sustainability - right down to the catering for the people who work there in a kind of ecosystem of start-ups, gastronomy, retail and entertainment. The goal is to be the first productive urban quarter in Europe to operate in a climate-neutral way by 2030.
Complementary in the quarter: ChargeBox supplies high-performance power for ultra-fast charging
A second battery system from ADS-TEC Energy is used by Porsche on the site as a power booster for ultra-fast charging of e-vehicles. As a small white cube, the ChargeBox buffers energy for two charging columns located further away directly in front of the entrance to the historic Zollinger Hall. With its high-quality design, the system blends in perfectly with its surroundings. The charging cube with integrated 140-kilowatt-hour power bank permanently charges itself from the available 400-volt mains connection of the car park and boosts the stored energy to a charging capacity of up to 320 kilowatts when required. This allows e-vehicles to be recharged within minutes instead of hours.