Ørsted says its first stand-alone battery project, Carnegie Road, is now operational. The 20-MW battery, located in Liverpool, consists of three battery containers and the associated power-conversion system, all supplied by NEC. The project supports a 90-MW wind farm and provides some services to the electric grid.
The 20-MW Carnegie Road is Ørsted’s first stand-alone, large-scale battery energy storage project. It supports a 90-MW wind farm’s production schedule and provides grid services.
“Climate change is a real and pressing threat to our planet and, in order to minimize its effects, we urgently need to decarbonize our electricity system,” said Matthew Wright, UK Managing Director at Ørsted. “The good news is, we’re on the right path, especially in the UK, where we lead the world in deploying renewable technologies, such as offshore wind.”
One of the key actions in keeping the UK’s electricity grid balanced and stable is ensuring that the amount of electricity generated matches the amount of electricity used at any given moment. Grid balancing services are tools used by National Grid to manage the UK’s electricity system.
Due to the dynamic nature of battery storage systems, they are able to provide a highly flexible response to grid-needs and are therefore a valuable component of a modern, decarbonized energy system.
“We have a vision to create a world that runs entirely on green energy, and that means we will need more than just clean energy generation,” added Wright. “That’s why we’re investing in energy storage systems like Carnegie Road, to accelerate the transition to a smarter, low carbon grid. Batteries, and other innovative storage technologies will form a critical part of an integrated green energy system required to ensure we keep the lights on without harming our planet.”
Bridgit Hartland-Johnson, part of Ørsted’s newly formed Onshore business unit and leading on developing new energy storage projects in the UK, agreed: “Our electricity consumption pattern is changing and is becoming less predictable as we use more electronic devices and electrify our transport system. The way we generate electricity is also changing as we add more low-carbon sources from wind and solar to the grid,” she said.
Carnegie Road is Ørsted’s first stand-alone, large-scale battery energy storage project, although the renewable energy company also has a 2-MW battery located behind the meter at its Burbo Bank offshore wind farm. This project supports the 90-MW wind farm’s production scheduling as well as providing some grid services.
“These changes mean that the way we balance and operate the grid, also need to adapt to become more agile and flexible. The combination of storage and renewable energy means we can now deliver infrastructure that enhances grid operations and, ultimately, delivers much better value for us as consumers,” said Hartland-Johnson.
Filed Under: Energy storage, News, Offshore wind, Projects
