E.ON will build a 10MW lithium-ion battery for the UK grid, after being awarded a contract from the National Grid to support the power network’s stability with a battery system that will help balance power demand and supply in real time and allow for an increase in the share of renewable energy in the grid.
With the strong growth of weather-dependent renewable sources such as wind and solar, the amount of power fed into the grid is becoming increasingly volatile. Therefore, National Grid had launched a tender for a new service to deal with volatile fluctuations and awarded 8 contracts.
Batteries are expected to play a key role in the new energy world largely dominated by renewable sources, E.ON said.
At times of either an oversupply or an under-supply, E.ON’s battery system will respond within one second absorbing or discharging power into the local distribution network to which the battery is connected and thus maintaining the system frequency at a safe level.
The company will build the 10MW battery at its Blackburn Meadows Biomass CHP and District Heating site near Sheffield.
The system is planned to be operational by the start of 2018.