In January, the initial testing of the Energy Cells energy storage system that will strengthen Lithuania’s energy independence was completed. Initial tests of the installed battery cells, transformers and other electrical equipment were carried out at battery parks in Vilnius, Šiauliai, Alytus and Utena, acoustic walls were installed and the environment was tidied. By the time the planned battery parks are operational, the system control centre will be completed, the parks will be connected through the transmission network, final system testing will be carried out and construction documentation will be in place.
The Isolated Electric Power System Operating Reserve Service, which will ensure that the Lithuanian power system can operate in isolated mode, is scheduled to be launched by the end of spring.
The battery parks are planned to start operating one after the other - once the first park is operational, the system will provide an instantaneous reserve service of 50 megawatts (MW), and once the other three parks are operational, it will operate at its full planned capacity of 200 MW.
“Testing battery parks can be compared to checking a car. When we switch on the ignition, we check whether the lights are working, whether we can hear the radio, how the air-conditioning system is working. Similarly with battery parks, the first thing we do is to check that all the elements of the system are working and ready to be energised. When the car starts, we hear the engine running. The second stage of battery testing is the same - testing the operation of the equipment when it is connected to the electricity transmission network. The final stage of testing is to observe the car as it drives on the road, checking that it reacts in time and properly to steering wheel turns, and that the tyres grip the road. Similarly, in the third phase, we will test the functionality and capability of all the battery parks once they are connected to the Lithuanian electric power system” said Rimvydas Štilinis, CEO of Energy Cells.
During the tests, the capabilities of the system before and after synchronisation with continental European networks are tested. Interoperability with the transmission system operator’s network is tested, as well as special tests related to isolated operation scenario. The battery park system is the first project of its type and importance in our region to use the knowledge gained from Litgrid’s 1 MW battery pilot project.
The battery energy storage system will be able to deliver power to the network in less than one second, providing instantaneous power reserve and the ability to operate in isolated mode. The system consists of four battery parks in Vilnius, Šiauliai, Alytus and Utena, with 312 battery cells - 78 in each. The Energy Cells battery energy storage system, which will be integrated into the Lithuanian network, will have a total combined capacity of 200 MW and 200 MWh.
The battery energy storage system project is needed to synchronise with the continental European networks, and will contribute to Lithuania’s ambitious renewable energy targets. The battery parks will serve as a flexible means of managing the energy system, capable of storing and, if necessary, instantly feeding into the network the electricity generated by solar or wind power plants.
Energy Cells has been awarded up to EUR 87.6 million for the installation of the battery energy storage system by the NextGenerationEU Recovery and Resilience Facility under the New Generation Lithuania plan.
For more information on the project, visit www.energy-cells.eu.