AES UK & Ireland, a subsidiary of the Virgina-based power company AES Corporation, has signed a prosperity agreement* with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) to develop a 100MW battery storage array.
Last year, AES has installed a 10MW lithium-ion battery energy storage plant at Northern Irealand’s largest power station, the Kilroot 660MW coal/oil power plant in Carrickfegus.
If the 100MW project is successfully complete, it will become the largest battery energy storage array in the UK.
The project could be deployed at the Ballylumford natural gas power station in Country Antrim, or split between Kilroot and Ballylumford, AES said.
Ian Luney (left), President at AES UK & Ireland commented at the signing event, “We are delighted to be signing this agreement with NIEA, which recognises the positive relationship we have built with the regulator and enables us to reach for even more aspirational environmental targets.”
Luney added the partnership could help businesses to address the challenges from environment and support the economic development of Northern Ireland.
Also speaking at the event, David Small (right), chief executive of NIEA, stated the project with AES was NIEA’s fifth prosperity agreement.
“Each agreement enshrines a company’s commitment to a sustainable future for its business and the Northern Ireland environment. The agreement with AES contains some key targets which will help the energy generation sector’s transition to greater use of renewable and low carbon solutions,” Small added.
*Prosperity agreements are voluntary agreements, signed between NIEA and a company or organisation.