Saft is providing a high power lithium-ion (Li-ion) 2 MW energy storage battery for a new energy storage system supporting the managing of grid stability and power flow challenges that come with the integration of renewable energy resources in Enel Distribuzione's distribution network in southern Italy.
The order for the system, capable of delivering 1 MWh of energy storage, was placed by SAET, the Padova-based specialist in the supply of systems and installations for the production, transmission and distribution of power. The battery will be installed and commissioned at a primary substation serving the Puglia region in the autumn this year.
Energy storage offers an alternative approach to enabling the grid integration of renewables compared with major investments in infrastructure upgrades, such as uprating transformers, says Saft. In this case, the Puglia primary substation is located in an area with a high level of inherently variable and intermittent renewable energy resources, which can cause grid issues such as reverse power flows on the high voltage/medium voltage transformers. The Saft ESS will reduce the variability of power flow as well as making the energy exchange profile between the substation and Italy's national grid more controllable and predictable.
Following the delivery of several containerised energy storage systems in North America and Europe, namely a 3 MWh contract with Endesa, the Enel-owned utility in Spain, this is Saft's first high power megawatt-scale ESS battery project in Italy.
This is one of the 3 ESS initial projects funded by the POI Energy (Interregional Operative Programme 2007- 2013) in the Puglia, Calabria and Sicily regions. The POI Energy programme supports efforts to improve efficiency, energy savings and the production of renewable energy resources through national and ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) contributions assigned to Enel Distribution from the Ministry of Economic Development.
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