Neoen, French renewable energy producer, announced the start of construction work on the largest Nordic battery unit – Isbillen Power Reserve – in Sollefteå, northern Sweden. The 93.9MW/93.9MWh lithium-ion storage will be connected to E’ON’s 130kV grid.
Grid balancing is a growing business in Sweden and in the Nordic region. The main reason is the growing share of intermittent renewable energy from wind turbines and PV panels. The new battery unit will stabilize the 50Hz grid frequency in partnership with Svenska Kraftnät, Sweden’s national grid operator.
The battery will also reduce grid stabilisation costs while facilitating the integration of renewable energy assets.
The project is split into three parts. The battery containers will be produced in the French factory of Nidec, a Japanese global technology group. The frequency inverters are manufactured in Italy, while Swedish companies are responsible for civil work, electrical installation and site preparation.
Isbillen Power Reserve should be connected to the grid during the first half of 2025. It is Neoen’s second Swedish unit, and will be followed by two more, Storbrännkullen (57MW) and the 100MWp solar energy park in Hultsfred.
Neoen’s Swedish project portfolio totals 400MW. It is aiming to become a leading player in the country. This is its fourth Nordic battery.
Laetitia Prot, managing director of Neoen Sweden, said: “We are delighted to be launching the construction of another record-breaking battery project in Sweden…With now over 300MW of assets in operation or under construction in the country, including 146MW of batteries, we are among the most dynamic players in renewable energy in Sweden.”
Neoen will operate 7.2GW of renewable energy capacity globally in 2024 and 10GW in in 2025. That will be in 17 countries, from Australia to Finland.