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Fluence and Centrica provide first-of-its-kind project globally for Google data centre

Fluence and Centrica are providing and optimising Google's first zero-emission backup power system for a data centre in Belgium.

The 2.75 MW battery-based energy storage system provided by Fluence, the first of its kind for Google, supplies the hyperscale data centre facility in St. Ghislain with zero-emission electricity during grid outages, supporting Google's 2030 carbon-free energy goal. Google will also use Centrica’s network for the first time to support grid stability and advance 24/7 clean energy.

BRUSSELS, Belgium, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Centrica Business Solutions, a provider of integrated energy solutions that balance profitability and sustainability, and Fluence, a global market leader in energy storage products, services, and digital applications for renewables and storage, have announced their collaboration with Google for the supply and optimisation of a zero-emission energy backup system at a hyperscale data centre in Saint-Ghislain.

For Google, it is the first-of-its-kind project globally that uses a battery-based energy storage system to reduce the number of diesel generators needed to provide backup power to the facility. The installation of 2.75 MW of Fluence’s Gridstack™ energy storage product at the St.Ghislain data centre serves as a proof-of-concept for wider use of battery-based energy storage at Google’s facilities to help Google deliver on its commitment to operate globally on 24/7 carbon-free energy by 2030.

Centrica will connect the battery storage assets to the Belgian electricity grid, allowing Google’s on-site batteries to flexibly store and discharge energy using Centrica’s specialised FlexPond™ software. The project further demonstrates the role that industrial consumers can play in stabilising electricity grids via on-site batteries.

All data centres require around the clock access to grid electricity, as well as on-site backup power to safeguard against power-cuts or blackouts. Battery-based energy storage is a quickly deployed, cost-effective, and low-emission solution that not only increases the resilience of commercial and industrial facilities but also supports system-wide decarbonisation and energy security goals across Europe and worldwide.

Marc Oman, Senior Lead of Data Centre Energy and Infrastructure at Google: “Google is pleased to drive technology innovation at the intersection of the data centre and energy industries, particularly when our innovations catalyse benefits beyond our own operations. The zero-emission backup power system provided by Fluence at our St. Ghislain facility is an important step forward in reaching our carbon-free energy goals. Not only will it allow Google to operate more cleanly during interruptions to grid reliability, but through our collaboration with Centrica, our battery will help the Belgian electricity grid maintain its target frequency and stay in balance.”

“We look forward to how the project will open the way for Google to deploy battery-based energy storage technologies across our other facilities, reducing reliance on fossil-fuel based back-up generation and providing flexibility to the grid to enable increased integration of renewable energy.”

Paul McCusker, Fluence SVP & President EMEA, commented: “We are excited to partner with Google to deploy this reliable, zero-emission power system to help them replace conventional diesel generation, provide critical backup energy, and increase the sustainability of the St. Ghislain data centre. Fluence looks forward to accelerating the data centre industry’s efforts to reduce emissions while ensuring high performance and reliability for their facilities and the local power grids.”

“The collaboration with Centrica highlights our commitment to working with the best route-to-the-market providers across all geographical locations to maximise the benefits for our client and develop a unique ecosystem that changes the way our customers power the world.”

Working together to build a more sustainable grid

To optimise its storage assets, Google hired Centrica to facilitate its participation in the ancillary services market operated by Belgian TSO ELIA. Google’s storage batteries will function as a virtual power plant, managed by Centrica in combination with its clever FlexPond™ optimisation software. The batteries have a total energy capacity of 5.5 MWh of which 2.75 MWh will be optimised by Centrica for participation in demand response programs.

Arno Van Mourik, Director of Centrica Business Solutions International: “There are an estimated 20 gigawatts of backup diesel generators in service across the data centre industry, representing a massive opportunity to deploy cleaner solutions. Managed correctly, we can not only support data centres to operate more sustainably, but also deliver grid scale flexibility - balancing the volatility of renewable energy, in support of a 100% zero carbon energy network of tomorrow.”

Google is a global leader in using carbon-free energy, reducing emissions and other environmental impacts, and increasing energy efficiency, with its data centres operating at twice the efficiency of a typical enterprise data centre, on average.

Data centres are among the most energy-intensive facilities and account for approximately 1 percent of global electricity demand. Because of their need for a continuous power supply at all times, most data centres rely on diesel generators for backup power in the event of grid disruptions.

Google’s partnership with Fluence and Centrica is an example of how the fast-growing data industry can take concrete measures to demonstrate the feasibility of large-scale batteries and their value to both data centres and electricity grids.

About Fluence 
Fluence (Nasdaq: FLNC) is a global market leader in energy storage products and services, and digital applications for renewables and storage. With a presence in 30 global markets, Fluence provides an ecosystem of offerings to drive the clean energy transition, including modular, scalable energy storage products, comprehensive service offerings, and the Fluence IQ Platform, which delivers AI-enabled digital applications for managing and optimising renewables and storage from any provider. The company is transforming the way we power our world by helping customers create more resilient and sustainable electric grids. For more information, visit our website, or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter. 

About Centrica

Centrica Business Solutions is part of Centrica plc, a leading international energy services and solutions provider, founded on a 200-year heritage of serving people. We help organisations take advantage of the changing energy landscape by building intelligent, end-to-end solutions that power their performance, resilience and business vision. Our vision is an energy future driven by artificial intelligence platforms and algorithms that help better manage supply and demand and turn homes and businesses into virtual power plants. We currently manage 2.1 GW of flexible demand response assets for industrial and residential consumers. We are focused on satisfying the changing needs of our customers, enabling them to transition to a lower carbon future. Our aim is to reduce emissions in line with the Paris climate goals by 2030 and develop a path to net zero by 2050.

Forward-Looking Statements

The information in this press release includes a “forward-looking statement” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of present or historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, anticipated benefits to Google of the use of Fluence’s battery system and anticipated synergies arising from the project. When used in this press release, words such as “may,” “possible,” “will,” “should,” “seeks”, “aims”, “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “targets,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. and variations thereof and similar words and expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking.

These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Most of these factors are outside Fluence’s control and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences in expected results include but are not limited to the following:  disruptions or delays in the operationalization and performance of the zero-emission energy backup system, unanticipated difficulty in providing spare capacity, inability to obtain anticipated efficiencies by trading in wholesale energy market, and delays in the diesel generators being disconnected from the facility. Fluence cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive.

Except as otherwise required by applicable law, Fluence disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release. Should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and projections could differentiate materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements.

Media Contacts

Joanna Spirodek, Fluence
Regional Marketing Manager, EMEA
Joanna.Spirodek@fluenceenergy.com
+49 1728 662155

Michael Pullen, Centrica
Head of Communications (Business)
Michael.Pullan@centrica.com
+44 (0) 7557 619446

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/787af259-5b13-480c-ba8a-1ec53d30b163