Published: 16 Dec 2021, 10:28
An NTR-owned solar and storage site in Co. Wexford. Image: NTR
NTR battery storage projects totaling 22MW have secured ten-year contracts for the supply of grid capacity to the Irish grid system.
This was won in the capacity auction announced by grid operators Eirgrid and SONI this month. The two projects, which are located in Co. Wexford, are among eleven battery projects to be successful in the auction, providing 5% of the grid’s capacity requirements.
In addition to capacity, the projects are to provide grid firming services to support the grid’s ability to deal with variable power produced by wind and solar projects.
It follows Eirgrid announcing 85 renewable energy projects representing 2,897MW would be receiving grid connection offers through its enduring connection policy (ECP) process last month. This included 61 solar PV projects with a collective capacity of 1,533MW, six hybrid solar-plus-storage sites consisting of 325MW of solar and 441MW of battery energy storage and two standalone battery energy storage projects with a collective capacity of 150MW.
One of these is Gore Street Energy Storage Fund’s Kilmannock battery energy storage system (BESS), also located in Co. Wexford, Ireland, which received an additional grid volume allocation of 90MW, building on the 30MW currently secured.