Emission-Free Drilling, Powered by Batteries
A unique, innovative project: emission-free drilling, fully powered by batteries using only green, renewable energy. In early September, TenneT began work on a project to partially underground two existing 150 kV overhead connections running through the Haagse Beemden and Wisselaar districts. The required drilling covers a length of 800 metres and will take several days to complete.
With this new — and future — way of working, over the past two weeks a 4x 200mm conduit bundle was pulled through 800 metres of soil using an electrically driven drilling rig from Klever Boor- en Perstechniek — the first installation of its size in the Netherlands to operate completely emission-free.
To keep the electric drill running, a daily energy supply of 4,500 kWh is required. For this project, Voet Energy Solutions is deploying 12 battery systems, each with a storage capacity of 422 kWh. Between operations, the batteries are charged at our Culemborg charging hub with green power generated from our solar roof.
Using a large mobile docking station, the four battery trailers (each with three batteries) can be continuously, quickly, and as needed connected and disconnected from the busbar powering the drill unit, recycling unit, and high-pressure pump.
The main challenges to overcome are high peak loads and heavy power demand. This is one of the first projects in the Netherlands where this technology has been applied at this scale. “At times, we saw peaks of up to 800 kW and daily consumption reaching as high as 5 MWh,” says John Voet.
Critical evaluation is essential for projects of this size. This pilot clearly marks a major step towards large-scale infrastructure projects in which high-demand consumers can be supplied with green energy at all times.
The data collected during this project will help us ensure even more efficient, high-performance energy systems for future projects and challenges in the energy transition.
With a shared focus, both we at Voet Energy Solutions and Klever Boortechniek have proven — each within our own field — that we can meet the highest standards and requirements. This applies not only to compliance but also to our ongoing drive for improvement and innovation in the stringent safety aspects such projects demand.
Energy for the Next Generation
At Voet Energy Solutions, we are at the forefront of the sustainable energy revolution. Our mission is rooted in the belief that together with our clients we can break away from traditional energy needs, adopting new technologies powered by non-fossil energy sources.
