RWE’s first inertia-ready battery energy storage system (BESS) is now commercially operational at its Moerdijk power plant in the Netherlands – the first such system active in the Central European grid.
The 7.5MW/11MWh BESS in Moerdijk uses grid-forming inverters to supply or absorb power within milliseconds, stabilising the grid through a service known as inertia – traditionally provided by rotating turbines in fossil-fuel plants.
Nikolaus Valerius, CEO RWE Generation SE, said, “Our newest plant in Moerdijk shows that ultra-fast battery energy storage systems can deliver the grid-serving inertia once solely provided by conventional power plants. With the phase-out of fossil fuel-fired large power plants, more and more such systems are needed to stabilise the grid.”
Developed with partner TotalEnergies as part of the OranjeWind offshore wind initiative, the BESS showcases LFP battery technology and supports RWE’s broader global energy storage ambitions. It is also entering a two-year pilot with TenneT to shape future standards for grid-forming BESS systems.
Image: RWE’s 7.5MW/11MWh BESS in Moerdijk
