Powering the Future: Belgium's High-Tech Bet on Energy Resilience

BRUSSELS, Belgium – December 09, 2025

In the evolving landscape of modern luxury, the most sought-after assets are often not tangible goods but guarantees of stability, security, and sustainability. A groundbreaking project near Brussels exemplifies this shift, where global energy firm ENGIE is once again partnering with technology provider NHOA Energy to build a colossal 80 MW / 320 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). Located at the site of ENGIE’s Drogenbos power station, this initiative is more than just industrial infrastructure; it represents a strategic, high-value investment in the new currency of national wealth: a resilient and forward-looking energy grid.

This development, the third large-scale battery asset for ENGIE in the country, underscores a powerful trend where the ultimate luxury for a modern economy is the seamless integration of renewable power and the assurance of uninterrupted energy flow. For affluent investors and forward-thinking nations, the focus is shifting from opulence to operational excellence, with cutting-edge technology providing the foundation for a sustainable high life.

A Strategic Framework for Stability

The Drogenbos project is not an isolated venture but a calculated move enabled by Belgium’s innovative Capacity Remuneration Mechanism (CRM). Initiated in 2021, the CRM is a strategic policy designed to safeguard the country's electricity supply as it phases out older power sources and embraces a renewable-heavy future. Through a series of technology-neutral auctions, the mechanism incentivizes energy providers to guarantee available capacity, ensuring the lights stay on even when the sun isn't shining or the wind isn't blowing.

The new BESS was a successful contender in the country’s fifth CRM auction, securing a crucial 15-year contract that begins in November 2027. Recent auction results reveal a clear market preference for battery storage. In the auction for the 2027-2028 delivery year, new-build battery projects captured an impressive 357 MW of awarded contracts, demonstrating their competitiveness. With average clearing prices around €53,000 per megawatt per year, the CRM provides a robust financial framework that makes large-scale storage projects an attractive investment. The intense competition and high demand in these auctions signal the urgent need for the kind of flexible capacity that systems like the Drogenbos BESS provide, positioning Belgium at the forefront of smart grid development.

ENGIE's Vision for a Flexible Future

This project aligns perfectly with ENGIE's ambitious #ENERGIZE2030 strategy for Belgium, a roadmap backed by a planned €4 billion investment over the next five years. The strategy is built on three core pillars: developing flexible capacity, expanding renewable energy generation, and delivering smart customer solutions. Battery storage is the linchpin of the flexibility pillar, essential for balancing the grid and achieving the company's goal of Net Zero Carbon emissions by 2045.

The Drogenbos facility is a significant addition to ENGIE’s rapidly growing storage portfolio. It follows the ongoing construction of the 400 MWh Kallo BESS, another collaboration with NHOA Energy, and the landmark 200 MW / 800 MWh Vilvoorde project, one of the largest BESS installations in Europe. Combined, these three sites will provide the Belgian grid with 380 MW of power and a massive 1.5 GWh of storage capacity—enough to stabilize supply and absorb vast amounts of renewable energy.

“With this new battery park, we are strengthening our current position as the Belgian reference in flexible energy generation and storage,” commented Vincent Verbeke, CEO of ENGIE Belgium. “The flexible storage capacity of batteries will play a key role in tomorrow's energy system: by balancing supply and demand, they support the electricity grid and help us make optimal use of the available renewable energy.”

The Engineering of Resilience: NHOA's Global Platform

At the core of the Drogenbos project is NHOA Energy’s proprietary NHEXUS platform, a sophisticated, high-density system designed for utility-scale demands. This all-in-one solution integrates the power conversion system, transformers, and control hardware into a single, modular baseplate, optimizing the physical footprint and streamlining deployment. The system’s 88 battery containers are engineered for a four-hour discharge duration, capable of meeting the average daily electricity needs of over 38,000 households.

Beyond its efficiency, the NHEXUS platform incorporates advanced safety features, a critical consideration for investors and communities. These include specialized gas discharge mechanisms and the use of natural ester oil in transformers, which is less flammable and more environmentally friendly than traditional mineral oil. This commitment to safety and performance has made NHOA Energy a trusted partner for grid operators and utilities worldwide. The company's global portfolio is a testament to its technological leadership, with flagship projects including the 200 MWh Kwinana BESS in Australia, a 105 MWh smart grid initiative for Red Eléctrica in Spain's Balearic Islands, and multiple systems in Italy and Taiwan that provide critical grid-stabilizing services.

“We are proud to return to Drogenbos, the site of a pilot system we commissioned with ENGIE back in 2018, this time to deliver a landmark project for Belgium’s energy transition,” said Lucie Kanius-Dujardin, Global Managing Director of NHOA Energy. This long-standing partnership highlights the value of proven expertise in executing projects of this scale and complexity.

Europe's Great Battery Race

The ENGIE and NHOA Energy collaboration in Belgium is a key development within a much larger continental trend. Europe is in the midst of an unprecedented battery boom, driven by aggressive renewable energy targets and the urgent quest for energy independence. The continent’s total installed energy storage capacity is projected to surpass 100 GW by the end of 2025, with forecasts predicting a sixfold increase in annual deployments to drive total capacity toward 400 GWh by 2029.

Utility-scale systems like the one in Drogenbos are leading this charge, expected to account for nearly 70% of new capacity by the end of the decade. This explosive growth is fueled by plummeting costs—with battery project capital expenditures now falling below the $300/kWh mark—and supportive policies like the European Green Deal and the EU Battery Regulation. These initiatives are creating a fertile ground for investment by officially recognizing energy storage as a fundamental asset for a modern, decarbonized electricity market. As nations race to build the grids of tomorrow, these silent, powerful battery systems are becoming the definitive symbols of progress, security, and a new, sustainable form of luxury.