6 January 2020
ESB announces that it is embarking on its first major battery projects at existing ESB sites at Inchicore, Co Dublin and Aghada, Co Cork.
The projects are the first in a pipeline to deliver long-duration battery technology as well as additional flexible enabling technologies that will support Ireland in reaching its ambitious climate targets of 70 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
Battery Energy Storage Systems will deliver 60MWh at Inchicore in Dublin and 38MWh at Aghada Generating Station in Cork supporting the national grid in providing storage capacity and stability for times of low wind.
Paul Smith, Head of Asset Development at ESB Generation and Trading, says that the projects are entirely in line with ESB’s ambition to lead Ireland’s transition to a low carbon future: “Enabling technologies such as these fast-acting battery projects are crucial to support the grid and will facilitate ever more onshore wind, offshore wind and solar onto the electricity system in the coming decades. These projects mark ESB’s first battery projects in Ireland which is another important step on the company’s low carbon transition journey, and in doing so, help us lead in the delivery of our national climate obligations.”
ESB are very pleased to be working with partners Fluence, Powercomm Group and Kirby Group in the delivery of these two projects.
For Fluence, a Siemens and AES energy storage technology company, the announcement is also a significant milestone. “Fluence has extensive experience delivering energy storage for the Irish electric grid, from the country’s first battery energy storage project to the fastest system response time in the world,” said Paul McCusker, vice president of EMEA for Fluence. “We look forward to working with ESB on projects that will help Ireland meet its ambitious clean energy goals and provide a more flexible, reliable and sustainable power system.”
ENDS/
Image Credit: Fluence