French battery supplier Saft is to supply a lithium-ion battery energy storage system (ESS) to a 12MW PV plant on Kauai Island, Hawaii, US.
Saft was contracted by Kauai Island Utility Co-operative (KIUC) to provide the 6MW ESS consisting of 10 containers in order to stabilise the Kauai island grid. Saft said the deal is worth “multi-million dollars”.
The ESS will be deployed at KIUC’s $50m 12MW PV plant, which is currently under construction. KIUC aims to pursue diversification of Kauai’s energy generation and to increase the percentage of hydropower, photovoltaic, biofuel and biomass feeding the grid.
Saft’s product is to stabilise and mitigate the input of intermittent fluctuations of the renewable energy. The delivery is also aimed to regulate the distribution of bus voltage, to serve as spinning reserve and to provide frequency support.
“With other ESS contracts in the works, this agreement is indicative of the expanding renewables market relying on Li-ion energy storage within island nations,” said Blake Frye, vice president of sales and energy at Saft.
The contract is Saft’s third ESS commission in Hawaii. The delivery for Kauai is set to begin in October.
Kauai Island is Hawaii’s fourth largest inhabited island and home to 65,000 people.
