Queen's AMIC
Case Study: Hybrid Energy Behind the Future of Innovation Client
Mobile Hybrid Battery System for Construction Site Power.
The Background:
Queen's University Belfast is a leading institution with a long history of innovation,
including the Northern Ireland Technology Centre (NITC), which laid foundational work for the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC).
The AMIC initiative represents a significant £100m investment under the Belfast Region City Deal, aiming to drive economic growth and foster innovation in advanced manufacturing across Northern Ireland. As part of its cutting-edge research, Queen's AMIC required a specialised power solution for the facility.
The Queen's AMIC project exemplifies Continu's core philosophy: to help businesses increase efficiency and resilience by taking control of their energy and protecting critical power. Both AMIC and Continu are members of the Northern Ireland Maritime & Offshore Group (NIMO) and this project highlights the strength of the network in turning shared ideas into reality through innovation and collaboration.
The Challenge:
The project for Queen's AMIC presented a unique and specific challenge: designing a power system for the facility that could simultaneously optimise and minimise the use of a diesel generators during construction. This highly technical and precise requirement for a specialised application meant the solution needed to be custom - tailored rather than off-the-shelf.
Furthermore, the Queen's AMIC site is under construction and this added a layer of complexity and necessitated a partner capable of working with limited information and specific, niche specifications. Going directly to the manufacturer for a comparatively smaller-scale project would have been met with to be "not worth the hassle," given the effort required for custom design versus the typical value of larger industrial deployments.
The Solution:
Continu, with its established expertise in Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) for complex commercial and industrial applications, embraced this challenge.
Recognising that effectively integrating energy storage requires specialist knowledge and careful planning beyond core technology, Continu committed to building the necessary capabilities to deliver a bespoke solution.
How It Was Done:
Continu designed a solution featuring a 20 kVA diesel generator paired with a 10 kW 15kWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The specific BESS chosen offered critical features such as unmatched longevity, safety, and integrated PV solar input.
This system also included automatic generator control and remote monitoring capabilities, enabling precise management of power flow to meet the facility's specific demands for both optimising and minimising generator usage. Continu's commitment to designing and delivering this highly tailored solution, demonstrated their dedication to client-centric innovation.
The Results:
The implementation of Continu's bespoke 10 kW 15 kWh BESS and 20 kVA generator solution provided Queen's NITC with the precise power management required for their new facility.
The system's integrated automatic generator control and remote monitoring features ensure optimal efficiency and adaptability for the unique environment.
By successfully delivering a highly customised solution for this specialised application, Continu enabled Queen's AMIC to progress with its critical operations, off-grid without power disruptions, effectively addressing the challenging power demands and environmental goals.
Why Continu?
Continu's willingness to invest time and expertise in designing and implementing solutions for highly specific customer specifications, even for projects that might not be considered "high value" by industry standards, highlights their innovative approach, the power of the NIMO network and commitment to collaboration.
"The development of the new AMIC site is a significant move for manufacturing in NI. We needed a temporary office with reliable power capabilities for our advanced systems.
Continu provided a clean power battery energy storage system that aligns with our low carbon goals, delivered on time and as specified. Their innovative approach and strong supply chain make them a valuable partner. We are eager to collaborate with them on future projects."
Colm Higgins, AMIC Chief Technology Officer