UK’s National Grid has awarded a contract to Renewable Energy Systems (RES) to provide a dynamic frequency response using a 20MW battery energy storage system.
Under the four-year contract, RES will provide frequency response service in sub-second timescales from the battery storage.
The service will assist National Grid in performing system balancing by responding to frequency issues under a second while maintaining the integrity.
Since 2014, RES and National Grid have been working on the service plan. It plans to float tender for 200MW of enhanced frequency response in future.
National Grid senior account manager Adam Sims said: "This is the first time that battery storage will be used to provide such fast-acting frequency response service to the National Transmission Network in Great Britain.
"This service and the forthcoming Enhanced Frequency Response service will support the network as we transition to a generation mix with greater levels of low cost renewable energy."
The partners expect the battery storage systems to be fully operational within 18 months.
RES energy storage manager John Prendergast said: "Developing this innovative service with National Grid is a major step in the development of RES’ UK energy storage business.
"We believe that this contract will play an important role in demonstrating this and will encourage policy makers and regulators to accelerate the removal of barriers to wider deployment of energy storage in the UK."
RES, which already commissioned six similar projects in North America, expects the energy storage technology to support the UK’s effort to shift its focus to a secure, low carbon, low cost energy system.
Image: A RES-built battery energy storage system. Photo: courtesy of Renewable Energy Systems Ltd.