Fluence to develop transmission stabilising battery energy storage system

Statkraft has chosen Fluence Energy UK, a subsidiary of Fluence Energy, Inc., to deliver its first battery-based energy storage project connected directly to the transmission network, which will provide inertia and short-circuit power to the grid to keep it stable.

The 50MW project, which will be installed at Neilston Greener Grid Park in Renfrewshire, Scotland, is intended to support the National Grid Energy System Operator (NGESO) in ensuring system stability as more renewable energy sources come online.

Unlike other operational energy storage systems in the UK, Statkraft’s project will be able to provide inertia and short-circuit power to the grid to keep it stable. Those services, states the partners, are critical to ensuring energy security and affordability as the energy transition advances.

The project will be delivered as part of the NOA Stability Pathfinder, a programme seeking new ways of increasing transmission network stability as synchronous fossil fuel generators are phased out in the UK, with the last coal power stations scheduled to close by 2024.

Lloyd Godwin, principal project manager at Statkraft commented: “We are pleased to be working with Fluence who will be providing the technology for our Neilston Greener Grid Park project, which has recently started construction.

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“The project will provide an essential service to stabilise the power grid and allow more renewable energy to be transmitted through the network, without relying on coal and gas-fired power stations. This means fewer harmful emissions and lower bills for consumers, because renewable energy is cheaper.”

For Fluence, this will be the 27th project contracted or delivered in the UK and Ireland, with a total company portfolio in those markets exceeding 1.4GWh, including the first-ever battery-based energy storage project in the Irish market, also delivered for Statkraft.

“Building on Fluence’s history in shaping the British energy storage market, we are delighted to partner with Statkraft, a pioneer in deploying grid stability services in the country,” stated Brian Perusse, managing director of Fluence Energy UK.

“We look forward to delivering a battery-based energy storage system critical to increasing grid stability and enabling the integration of more low-cost renewable generation.”

In total, Fluence has delivered or contracted more than 850MWh projects of this type globally.

In March of this year, Fluence launched Ultrastack, an advanced energy storage product designed to address the complex requirements of transmission and distribution networks.

Statkraft’s Neilston Greener Grid Park will also use some of the functionalities of Ultrastack, benefiting from new technological solutions.