Ireland could be home to one of the world’s biggest lithium-ion energy storage systems after planning permission to build a 100MW facility in Galway County, Ireland, was granted to power company Engie Developments Ireland, part of the French-owned Engie Group.
If built, the system would equal the capacity of the world’s biggest ESS, the 100MW/129MWh system near Jamestown, South Australia, that uses Tesla batteries paired with French utility Neoen’s Hornsdale wind farm.
An Engie spokesman told BBB: “We don’t have a set date for commercialization of the project at this stage and no battery suppliers have been chosen yet.
The Galway project is being delivered by Engie Developments Ireland and overseen by Engie’s UK & Ireland business unit, which is part of the wider Engie Group.
The project to deliver grid services across the region will include up to 34, 16×2.9 metre containers, which will house inverters, control systems, electrical components, and ancillary grid infrastructure.
Two more 100MW facilities
There are plans in place for two more, 100MW projects in Ireland.
Plans by Greener Ideas, a joint venture set up between Bord Gáis Energy and Mountside Properties, for a similar 100MW lithium-ion ESS, were granted permission in May 2018 by Kilkenny County Council.
Alan Tyrrell, managing director at Bord Gáis Energy, told BBB: “Greener Ideas Limited is currently exploring a number of potential options for the development of projects in the Republic of Ireland which would facilitate the growth of renewable projects, while also supporting the electricity grid.
“These projects are in embryonic, development stage and are dependent on market structures being put in place in the coming years. For reasons of commercial confidentiality, Bord Gáis Energy cannot comment on any specifics.”
To date, Europe’s largest ESS is located in Germany; the 90MW system was inaugurated by German utility Steag and Nidec ASI in November 2016.
A second project is being developed by Kinbrace in Culleenatreen or Flagford, near Carrick-on-Shannon, Ireland. the project has already received planning permission to build from the Roscommon County Council.
ABO Wind, which is a majority shareholder of Kinbrace, said teh system will be lithium-ion.
A spokesman for ABO Wind told BBB: “We are planning to make the ESS up to 100 MW. The proposed development comprises up to 39 individual battery units each contained in a 40 foot container comprising of lithium-ion cells within modules stored in racks and ancillary equipment.”
The company has not named a battery supplier.
The project depends on a successful application in the next Enduring Connection Policy batch— an Irish system for issuing connection offers for new generation and storage capacity.
