Mobile energy generation and storage container at Munich Airport

In the capital of the German state of Bavaria, an innovative system for sustainable energy generation and at-source output is currently being used at Munich Airport. The all-in-one container with photovoltaic panels and wind rotors generates energy used to charge electric cars at the same location.

The energy container comes from FlowGen, a company in the field of green energy system solutions from Zug in Switzerland. For a twelve-month trial project, the energy container has been installed in a parking lot in the east of the airport used by car rental companies. The energy generated by three small wind turbines and photovoltaics will be used to charge newly delivered rental cars.

The test container can generate around 200-kilowatt hours of energy on a windy and sunny day, which is enough to charge four to six electric cars. The system combines the small wind turbine developed by FlowGen, paired with photovoltaic elements and battery storage technologies. A wide range of data is to be recorded and evaluated during the 12-month project period.

The makers of the renewable energy solution have not revealed much information about the batteries, only that they can be adapted to customer-specific requirements using intelligent energy management software. FlowGen says Schaeffler supplies the generators for its wind turbines, while EACC produces the rotor blades “manufactured to automotive standards in series production.”

FlowGen claims its container solution can be installed in a short space of time, easily dismantled and reassembled at new locations. In addition to use at airports and for charging electric vehicles, the company says the solution offers a wide range of applications in areas such as agriculture, construction and industry.

Mobile, stationary storage units with solar and wind-generating capacity and output immediately offer the possibilities in any off-grid application. This potentially includes emergency or temporary or longer-term services, or as a small-scale community resource, especially as ‘leap-frog technology’ bringing localised power to areas without reliable infrastructure.

Flowgen says in addition to its fixed solutions for industrial and commercial applications, the mobile solutions are particularly quick and easy to ship and install.

munich-airport.com, flowgen.com