Spanish utility Iberdrola has commissioned a battery energy storage system (BESS) in Ireland that will contribute to grid security as more renewables come online.
Located in County Meath, in the east of the country, the 50MW/25MWh system consists of more than 4,000 modules in 16 containers and required an investment of €28 million (US$28.51 million).
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Dubbed Gorman, the battery will serve state-owned electricity transmission operator EirGrid for six years.
The commissioning marks the culmination of an initiative developed by EirGrid and peer SONI to reinforce the grid, according to Iberdrola, which said it plans to expand the BESS to 100MW in the future.
Iberdrola said battery storage projects are set to become an essential element in the electricity system because they improve the quality of electricity supply, ensure grid stability and reliability by balancing supply and demand, and guarantee the availability of additional green power when needed.
The company is planning to invest up to €100 million in new onshore renewable and storage projects in Ireland by 2025, by which time it aims to have 16GW of solar installed globally.
The project commissioning comes after German energy company RWE powered up a 60MW BESS last month in Ireland’s County Monaghan.
Mitsubishi Power revealed plans last week to enter the European energy storage market with four BESS projects totalling 371MWh for ION Renewables in Ireland.
This story first appeared on Solar Power Portal.