Great Britain is to test its first battery system to provide grid-frequency after a partnership between energy utility firm National Grid and UK based Renewable Energy Systems (RES).
The 20MW battery storage system will provide a dynamic frequency response service with a second of a deviation, either higher or lower than 50Hz, being detected.
The battery storage system will be fully operational within 18 months following the signing of the four-year contract.
The batteries and power conversion systems will come from a range of tier one suppliers, RES told BBB.
RES and National Grid began work on designing the service in 2014.
The work was a testbed to National Grid’s upcoming tender for 200MW of Enhanced Frequency Response in Great Britain.
A RES spokesman told BBB: “RES is technology agnostic when it comes to selecting energy storage systems, however having used lithium-ion for all of our 74MW projects currently operating there is a strong possibility that lithium-ion will be used for this contract.”
Adam Sims, senior account manager at National Grid said:
“This service and the forthcoming Enhanced Frequency Response service will support the network as we transition to a generation mix with greater levels of low cost renewable energy.”
John Prendergast, Energy Storage Manager at RES, said: “Energy storage can play a large role in supporting the UK’s transition to a secure, low carbon, low cost energy system.
He added that the hope was the contract would play an important role in encourage policy makers and regulators to accelerate the removal of barriers to wider deployment of energy storage in the UK.
RES has already commissioned six similar projects in North America.
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