Innogy Builds its 1st Battery Storage Facility in Ireland

innogy SE has announced that it has taken the final investment decision (FID) for a large-scale battery storage facility in Ireland

innogy SE has announced that in advancing its renewables business by moving into battery storage technology in Ireland, it has taken the final investment decision (FID) for a large-scale battery storage facility in the country.

The 60-megawatt (MW) facility will be located in the Irish county of Monaghan within the vicinity of Lisdrumdoagh. The construction will start this year, with commissioning scheduled for 2021. After full commissioning, the battery storage plant will provide system services to the national grid and will expand the firms’ renewables portfolio in Ireland.

Sven Utermöhlen, senior vice president renewables operations at innogy SE, said “I am proud that we are making our first significant utility-scale battery storage investment, not just anywhere, but in Ireland, a market with a strong commitment to renewable energies and dedicated support for battery storage. Ireland is an excellent starting point for us as we look to expand and grow our battery storage technology business.”

As the growth of renewable generation continues to replace conventional power generation in Ireland, there is an increasing challenge for the grid operators to safely manage imbalances in the system, which can include the curtailment of wind generators. Large storage systems, like the battery facility planned in Lisdrumdoagh, will respond in less than 150 milliseconds to frequency changes, importing or exporting electricity from the grid as needed. As a result, battery storage schemes help not only to even out the fluctuating feed-in from renewable energies but also to efficiently stabilise the grid and guarantee reliable electricity supply.

After commissioning, the battery storage system in Lisdrumdoagh will have the ability to deliver 60 MW of power, enough capacity to power around 125,000 homes.

Cathal Hennessy, managing director of innogy Renewables Ireland, added that this battery storage facility makes an important contribution to the successful realisation of the Irish energy transition. “This is because storage technologies help to provide an important link between modern grids and intermittent generation, by storing excess renewable energy for use when required.”