Renewable Energy Systems (RES) Canada has received a final certification for starting operation of its 8MW energy storage system (ESS) in Ontario, Canada.
The ESS, named Amphora, consists of two containers with lithium iron phosphate batteries and a container of inverters that converts the DC output to AC for the grid. The batteries have a total range of 8MW and a capacity of 2.6MWh. BYD America supplied the equipment.
The system will provide frequency regulation to Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO). The operating agreement goes over three years.
“This is the first grid-connected battery on the IESO’s system, and the experience we gain will help demonstrate how this technology can help us balance power flows and ultimately maintain reliability,” said Bruce Campbell, president and CEO of IESO.
The ESS is located at a site provided by energy provider Entegrus serving 40,000 people.
Amphora is RES Canada’s second ESS system. “We believe investments in developing energy storage infrastructure are critical to improving the flexibility and efficiency of an increasingly complex grid system,” said Peter Clibbon, senior vice president of Montréal-based RES Canada.
According to a study by Navigant Research, the ESS market is to grow worldwide from $164m in 2014 to more than $2.5 billion in 2023.