Statkraft unveils Ireland’s first battery project

The hybrid battery-and-wind project, which combines 11 MW of battery with 23 MW of onshore wind, will be fully operational in early 2020.

“This is a landmark day for the energy market in this country and represents a very exciting milestone for power storage here. Energy storage systems further diversify our own portfolio, and this project continues our growth trajectory while complementing our extensive renewable development plans,” said Statkraft Ireland Managing Director, Kevin O’Donovan.

The growth of wind generation presents a range of operational challenges for power systems everywhere, and its variability must be managed to ensure demand for electricity is met at all times. Other forms of renewable energy such as solar are also set to play a part in Ireland’s energy mix, meaning capacity to store electricity is of paramount importance.

Statkraft will enter a contract with EirGrid, thereby providing reserves to the national electricity grid in the event of a sudden drop-off in supply.

The site is located on Statkraft’s first stand-alone Irish onshore wind project since entering the Irish market, at Kilathmoy on the Limerick / Kerry border in the south-west of Ireland. This is a seven-turbine project which has cost €30million to develop, with an output of 23 MW. 

Statkraft has partnered with Fluence, the global market leader in utility-scale energy storage solutions, to deliver the project, with battery modules produced by LG Chem, a top-tier supplier.

Ireland is one of the selected new growth markets for onshore wind and solar power in Statkraft. Statkraft’s current development pipeline is 1.25 gigawatts of onshore wind, 500 MW of offshore wind and 350 MW of solar energy in Ireland alone.