France’s electricity transmission system operator, RTE, is exploring options to reduce congestion on the grid at four strategic locations around the country and could award long-term contracts to battery storage systems that can help.
Multinational utility Engie and renewables developer Neoen are to invest €1.2 billion (US$1.46 billion) in a large-scale solar-plus-storage project in south eastern France, which includes a 1GW solar system and 40MW of battery energy storage.
The cost of solar energy paired with battery storage on France’s island territories has fallen yet again, as the European country awarded contracts to winning bidders in its latest tender process.
Canadian public utility company and transmission system operator Hydro-Québec has launched a battery energy storage subsidiary as well as announcing a large-scale green hydrogen project.
Saft has opened its third manufacturing site for energy storage systems (ESS) in Zuhai, China, adding to two existing “strategic hub” facilities in Bordeaux, France and in Jacksonville in the US.
Solar-plus-storage projects on France’s overseas territories are on course to add around 200MWh to global battery storage deployment figures, with the latest power plant just completed by independent renewable energy producer Albioma.
An ‘experiment’ in France where grid-scale energy storage will be deployed to assess how batteries can ease congestion on transmission operator RTE’s network is paving the way for further opportunities in the coming decade, Energy-Storage.news has heard.
Results announced last week in a Capacity Market (CM) auction in France which had low-emissions requirements, saw 253MW of energy storage awarded 7-year contracts.
