Utility-scale battery storage plant (60MW) to be operational in 2021
Investment of around €25 million in County Monaghan scheme
Plant will support the Irish energy transition by providing vital grid services
CHANGCHUN, CHINA, February. 3, 2019 /PVTIME/ - innogy SE is advancing its renewables business by moving
into battery storage technology in Ireland:innogy has taken the final
investment decision (FID) for a large-scale battery storage facility in the
country. The 60-megawatt (MW) facility will be located in the Irish county of
Monaghan within the vicinity of Lisdrumdoagh. The construction will start this
year. The commissioning is scheduled for 2021. After full commissioning, the
battery storage plant will provide system services to the national grid and
will expand innogy’s renewables portfolio in Ireland.
Sven Utermöhlen, Senior Vice
President Renewables Operations at innogy SE, said: “I am proud that we are
making our first significant utility-scale battery storage investment, not just
anywhere, but in Ireland, a market with a strong commitment to renewable
energies and a dedicated support for battery storage. Ireland is an excellent
starting point for us as we look to expand and grow our battery storage
technology business.”
Cathal Hennessy, Managing Director
of innogy Renewables Ireland, adds: “This battery storage facility makes an
important contribution to the successful realisation of the Irish energy
transition. This is because storage technologies help to provide an important
link between modern grids and intermittent generation, by storing excess renewable
energy for use when required.”
As the growth of renewable
generation continues to replace conventional power generation in Ireland, there
is an increasing challenge for the grid operators to safely manage imbalances
in the system, which can include the curtailment of wind generators. Large
storage systems, like the battery facility planned in Lisdrumdoagh, will
respond in less than 150 milliseconds to frequency changes, importing or
exporting electricity from the grid as needed. As a result, battery storage
schemes help not only to even out the fluctuating feed-in from renewable
energies, but also to efficiently stabilise the grid and guarantee a reliable
electricity supply.
After commissioning, the battery
storage system in Lisdrumdoagh will have the ability to deliver 60 MW of power,
enough capacity to power around 125,000 homes.1) The planned
investment volume for the Lisdrumdoagh storage facility amounts to about €25
million in total.
In line with the company’s strategy,
innogy reviews all options regarding the future ownership and financing
structure of its assets to maximise value for the company and shareholders.
Ireland is an important growth
market for innogy
As a result of innogy’s expansion into the Irish market, in 2016 it established the subsidiary innogy Renewables Ireland Ltd. In 2018, the company constructed, and now operates the 10.2MW Dromadda Beg Onshore Wind Farm, located in County Kerry, innogy’s first onshore wind farm in the country. The Irish development team is exploring further renewable opportunities including further onshore wind and battery storage locally. In addition, innogy is leading the development of Dublin Array Offshore Wind Farm. In 2018 innogy partnered with the Irish company Saorgus Energy to continue the development of the planned up to 1,000 MW project located in the Irish Sea, off the coast of Dublin.
SOURCE: innogy
 to be operational in 2021 Investment of around €25 million in County Monaghan scheme Plant will support the Irish energy transition by providing vital grid…){kind=link}