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Grid Services and Batteries

Battery storage is going to revolutionise the energy landscape by providing the flexibility necessary to integrate increasing levels of intermittent renewables while maintaining security of supply.

Statkraft, with one of the world’s largest Virtual Power Plants, is ideally positioned to manage flexible assets using its advanced algorithmic trading infrastructure in real time. This approach maximises the value of the assets in all available physical markets while supporting the further integration of renewables.

Grid Services

As renewable energy generation increases, new ways to maintain grid system stability are required in order for EirGrid to operate a reliable electricity system.

A synchronous compensator is an electrical device used to manage this stability. While traditional generators rely on their power turbines to provide stability, renewables don’t offer the same inertia. With a synchronous compensator, the missing weight from the turbines is replaced with a large heavy flywheel and is ready to provide stability in the event there is an electrical disturbance such as lighting strike hitting an overhead line or sudden drop or increase power demand.

While it doesn’t generate electricity itself, this machine plays a crucial role in maintaining a balanced system.

Why do we need Grid Services projects

System Services from Wind

Some wind turbine manufacturers have recently developed new technology and control systems that allow wind turbines to deliver DS3 System Services, such as fast reserves and reactive power to the same standard as fossil fuel plant.

The Statkraft Ireland team has been leading the deployment of this technology, having participated in the initial technology trials, and then being the first to implement the full range of ancillary services on the Statkraft managed wind fleet. This is a win-win, with the electricity consumer seeing lower costs, the power system CO2 emissions being reduced, and the wind farm owner securing a small additional source of revenue without impacting on their day to day energy production.

Statkraft can now offer a service to new and existing wind farms to deploy and manage these DS3 System Services.

The 11MW Kilathmoy Battery facility

The 11MW Kilathmoy Battery facility

Batteries

Statkraft built the first grid-scale battery in Ireland at Kilathmoy. This is an 11MW, 5.6MWh lithium-ion battery which commenced operation in April 2020.  The battery is contracted to provide DS3 System Services to the Irish Transmission System Operator, EirGrid. These are non-energy grid ancillary services which help support the grid at high levels of renewable penetration. Services include fast reserves and reactive power. The Statkraft Grid Services team in Ireland and UK has gained valuable experience of delivering a battery projects up to 25MW.

Batteries can also participate in the balancing market, helping to manage the inevitable fluctuations that occur in the energy market to account for varying forecasts of demand, wind and power plant availability. Batteries can typically deliver their full power for 0.5-4 hours, which also allows them to participate in the capacity market, ensuring that there is enough generation capacity to deal with the short term peak demand, typically seen in December each year.

Battery projects in Ireland

In Ireland, Statkraft has constructed a number of battery projects: