Switzerland-based ABB has won an order to deliver a microgrid solution to Electranet’s Energy Storage for Commercial Renewable Integration (ESCRI) project in South Australia, which will feature a grid-connected 30MW/8MWh battery energy storage system.
Image: ABB to install multipurpose microgrid for Electranet in South Australia. Photo: courtesy of ABB.
The Swiss technology company said that the microgrid solution will help the ESCRI project to strengthen the electricity grid while enhancing power reliability.
The multipurpose microgrid solution will connect an ABB Ability PowerStore 30MW battery energy system to the Electranet transmission system, thereby facilitating the value stacking of storage in regulated energy market, said the Swiss firm.
The ABB Ability PowerStore system will be installed at the Dalrymple substation, located 7km south-west of Stansbury on the Yorke Peninsula.
According to ABB, its microgrid solution will boost the overall reliability of power supplies. It will also enable the ESCRI project to deliver additional market services and fast-acting power response that aids in balancing the network on a daily basis.
The microgrid solution is also expected to support the increased electricity transfer with the interconnectors to Victoria.
ABB said that during transmission line outages, the microgrid solution will work with the existing AGL Energy’s 90MW Wattle Point wind farm and distributed rooftop solar PVs to deliver uninterrupted power supply until connection to the grid is restored.
The ABB Ability microgrid solution will generate enough electricity to cover around 400 homes for at least 24 hours without any input from renewable generators.
ABB grid automation business head Massimo Danieli said: “Our modular and scalable ABB Ability PowerStore in combination with Microgrid Plus control and automation solution can be deployed in a fast and efficient way.
“Our advanced technology meets up to complex requirements that are part of today’s energy revolution and microgrid solutions are playing an increasing role in the evolution of the grid.”
Partly funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), the ESCRI project will be leased to AGL upon its commissioning, which is slated to be done by the end of this month.