The units will be manufactured at the Siemens-Technopark in Ruhstorf, Bavaria, beginning next year. Rolls-Royce already has a production facility at the location.
Rolls-Royce said the expansion of the site is a part of the plan for its new division, Microgrid Solutions, which itself was formed earlier this year when the company acquired a majority stake in energy storage specialist Qinous. Qinous is now operating under Rolls-Royce Solutions Berlin.
Most MTU EnergyPacks are currently made at Rolls-Royce subsidiary MTU's Onsite Energy Systems facility in Ruhstorf.
Rolls-Royce said three former factory buildings of Siemens AG will be rebuilt at the new site, after which it will be possible to fit battery modules to several 40ft containers simultaneously, with subsequent testing. The facilities will also include a showroom for customers, a warehouse and offices.
"We see growing demand for MTU EnergyPacks, since more and more customers are seeking on-site power generation solutions that use renewables. But when you use solar or wind power to generate electricity, you often need an interim solution for storage until it is actually consumed," vice president of the microgrid solutions division Cordelia Thielitz said.
"Although most mines have huge potential for using renewable energies, the benefits are severely limited, as gensets still need to run continuously - and at lower efficiency - in order to provide spinning reserve. The MTU EnergyPack and MTU Microgrid Controller keep gensets running at peak performance by providing spinning reserve and enabling greater use of renewables by storing the excess power for delivery when required."
