The pilot project for the construction of the ENGIE Group’s battery storage facility in Velika Ida was completed and commissioned earlier this year. The 1.25 MW battery storage facility will provide a FCR support service to SEPS, and will also be used to manage the ENGIE Group’s balance sheet deviation. The project is part of ENGIE’s strategy to provide comprehensive energy services using renewable resources.
Why battery storage?
“The project of construction and operation of the first ENGIE Battery Storage Facility in Slovakia is a significant milestone for our company. As one of the European leaders of transformation in the energy sector, we have long sought to view this segment comprehensively. We have transformed ourselves from a heat supplier to a full-service energy service provider with a focus on meeting decarbonisation targets,” explains Milan Pavle, Sales Manager of the ENGIE Group.
And the construction of the battery storage facility is part of the Group’s comprehensive energy solutions using renewable energy sources. ENGIE is no longer focusing only on energy production and distribution. It strives to adapt to the ever-changing market and offer new solutions with a focus on flexibility and aggregation. It wants to get closer to its clients, who are also gradually becoming prosumers, and respond flexibly to their current needs.
Battery storage, as part of a comprehensive energy system, is integrated into the ENGIE Balance of Energy Group. Through new business models, it offers clients assistance and support in their energy solutions, regardless of business location.
Construction
The construction of the battery storage facility, which took 9 months, was started by ENGIE in April 2023. At the end of last year, the construction was completed and put into operation from 1 January 2024.
Technical details of the new ENGIE battery storage:
- Installed capacity: 1.25 MW
- Battery operating life: 6 000 cycles (approx. 10 years)
- Power output: LV/LV/VV/HV (22kV kiosk looped in 22kV line TS110/22Kv)
- Management: ENGIE Balance Group / Central Dispatch 24/7
- Certification: battery storage meets the comprehensive SEPS standards regardless of business model.
The battery storage is installed and operated in a direct power feed to a 110 kV substation owned and operated by the ENGIE Group. The project is located in the Veľká Ida Industrial Park, where ENGIE provides electricity distribution.
Intent
The intention of the project for the construction and operation of the battery storage facility is related to the comprehensive energy services setup mentioned above. The storage facility has been designed and should serve several purposes. The first is to provide a 1 MW FCR support service to the SEPS. Where FCR (Frequency Control Reserve) is the primary level of frequency control in the grid with activation within 30 seconds. “Other purposes are the management of the balance deviation (RBO) of the ENGIE Group, the support of the development of renewable resources with fluctuating electricity generation and the management of the deviation of our customers. Last but not least, thanks to the battery storage, we can also offer our customers energy flexibility as a service,” explains Martin Žigo, Director of the Energy Division at ENGIE Group.
Plans for the future
The ENGIE Group is already planning to build similar projects in other locations. “In addition to the construction itself, we want to offer energy flexibility as a service for prosumers and deviation management for customers outside our balance group in the near future,” concludes Martin Žigo.
