From solar power to a smart energy hub: 6.2 MWh for Montea in Tongeren

Montea is taking a major step in the energy transition at its logistics site in Tongeren: in partnership with C-battery, an impressive 6.2 MWh battery storage system has been successfully installed. This allows Montea to store solar energy intelligently and deploy it strategically, while simultaneously laying the groundwork to transform the site into a fully-fledged energy hub for electric trucks in the future.

The foundation for a sustainable energy hub

At the Tongeren facility, Montea sought a way to optimally leverage and strategically deploy generated solar energy. To achieve this, C-battery installed six high-performance battery systems.

Today, the installation serves as a smart buffer: the stored energy is managed and traded, creating a profitable financial model that allows the infrastructure to pay for itself in the short term. In the long term, the site will evolve into a full-scale energy hub capable of charging electric trucks. In that scenario, the batteries will remain the vital link in the site's energy supply.

Technical excellence

The bar for this project was set high. Montea selected an advanced Energy Management System (EMS) capable of adjusting its strategy every four hours based on current market conditions, performance metrics, or operational needs.

To master the complexity of this system, we adopted an innovative approach: our EMS partners were able to fine-tune and test the battery systems under realistic conditions at our facility in Oudenaarde. Thanks to this extensive preparation in a controlled environment, we avoided any on-site surprises and were able to complete the installation in Tongeren at lightning speed.

"It was immediately apparent how pragmatic and solution-oriented Montea is," says Bjorn Robbens, CEO of C-battery. "That aligns perfectly with our own approach: hands-on, efficient, and always focused on progress."

Local speed and reliability

When selecting C-battery as their partner, two factors proved decisive: safety and local presence. Every system is equipped with integrated gas extinguishing systems at both the cell and module levels, as well as physical separation between battery modules and inverters, guaranteeing the highest safety standards.

Furthermore, Montea highly valued our Belgian production capabilities:

"The battery modules are assembled in Belgium. This gave us greater control, short lines of communication, and extra confidence in the quality of the solution." - Dirk Van Buggenhout, Chief Sustainability Officer at Montea

The results speak for themselves: barely five months elapsed between the initial design and full completion, with the batteries officially approved within a week of delivery.

"C-battery fulfilled all its promises, especially regarding the timeline," concludes Van Buggenhout. "It is no coincidence that they were the first party to successfully deploy operational batteries on-site. We look forward to future collaborations with confidence."

Ready to accelerate your energy transition? Discover what C-battery can do for your site. We are happy to think along with you.

The C-battery solution:

• Speed: from initial design to full completion in just five months; commissioning and approval within one week of delivery.

• Safety: equipped with advanced fire suppression systems at cell and module levels, with physical separation between battery modules and inverters.

• Local: assembled in Oudenaarde, ensuring direct communication, strict quality control, and a team always close by.