As Europe’s BESS industry matures, project owner-operators are taking on more control – and risk – when it comes to procuring technology and services for their projects.

IPP E energija Group has started building what it claims is the largest ‘private’ BESS project in Lithuania, a few weeks after the Baltic region decoupled from Russia’s electricity grid.

Toronto, Ontario-headquartered Hydrostor has received planning approval for a 200MW/1,600MWh advanced compressed air energy storage (A-CAES) project in New South Wales, Australia.

Developer-operator TransGrid Energy has successfully secured over US$1.4 billion in financing for two battery energy storage (BESS) projects located in Arizona, US, with a combined capacity of 450MW/1,800MWh.

California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) has commenced the permitting process for a 265MWh hybrid solar and BESS project.

LG ES will begin production of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells for stationary energy storage applications in the US this year.

European lithium-ion OEM Northvolt has sold the division in which its ESS manufacturing plant in Poland sits, as it continues to divest non-core assets amidst its ongoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Community batteries are likely to become another tool in a decentralised energy grid, write Lachlan Hensey and Timothy Shue from Australia’s Yarra Energy Foundation.

Balance-of-plant (BOP) contractor Zenviron has secured a contract with EnergyAustralia to provide balance-of-plant design, construction, installation, and commissioning of a 350MW battery energy storage system in Victoria, Australia.

Latvia state-owned utility and power generation firm Latvenergo intends to deploy 250MW/500MWh of BESS in the next five years.