The government of the Pacific Ocean island nation of Palau has signed an agreement to install a battery system at the heart of a solar and storage microgrid.
The agreement with Engie Electro Power Systems (Engie EPS) will see the creation of the 100-megawatt ‘Armonia’ microgrid— comprising 45 megawatt-hours of battery storage and a 35MW solar photovoltaic project to be integrated with existing diesel generating facilities.
Engie EPS general manager and CEO, Carlalberto Guglielminotti, claimed the microgrid “would not be just one of the largest storage-enabled solar projects in world, but a pioneering showcase for the whole global energy sector”.
According to the government of the Micronesian region nation, renewable energy produced by the solar component is expected to represent in excess of 45% of Palau’s total demand.
Palau committed to a 45% renewable energy target by 2025 under the Paris Agreement to combat climate change.
A spokesman for Engie EPS declined to discuss the battery technology involved at this time.
Construction on the project is expected to begin by the end of 2018, and commissioning is predicted before the end of 2019.
