Danish wind energy giant DONG Energy announced this week that it plans to integrate a battery storage system into the 90 megawatt Burbo Bank Offshore Wind Farm, a self-proclaimed “first of its kind wind power and battery hybrid system.”
Most people, when they hear the title Burbo Bank Offshore Wind Farm, might think first of the 258 megawatt (MW) Burbo Bank Extension offshore wind project making use of MHI Vestas 8 MW wind turbines, but in fact the Burbo Bank Offshore Wind Farm is an earlier project, a 90 MW wind farm made up of only 25 smaller 3.6 MW wind turbines. The 90 MW wind farm was commissioned all the way back in 2007 by DONG Energy.
DONG Energy announced on Wednesday that it plans to continue making the most out of the smaller wind farm, announcing that it would integrate a battery system into the 90 MW wind farm to provide frequency response in an effort to keep the grid frequency stable at 50Hz, while maintaining the operability of the grid. They will install a 2 MW battery system which will be installed by the end of this year, marking the first time an offshore wind farm has an integrated battery system to deliver frequency response to the grid.
“As Great Britain’s energy mix changes, we know that ensuring a safe and stable supply of energy into future will require more flexible services,” said Richard Smith, Head of Network Capability (electricity) for National Grid, the private company which runs the UK electricity grid. “I’m looking forward to seeing how the DONG Energy solution of storage connected to the offshore wind farm will provide services to help us respond to day-to-day operational challenges and maintain the frequency of 50 Hz on Great Britain’s electricity system.”
National Grid runs the UK grid at a frequency of around 50Hz which helps them manage grid stability. If that frequency were to fluctuate too much, everything plugged into the grid would be affected, from home appliances to power stations.
“The need for flexibility is expected to grow, and as a low-carbon leader, we’re keen to be part of the solution to make the energy system smarter,” said Ole Kjems Sørensen, Senior Vice President, Partnerships/M&A and Asset Management. “We already offer leading flexibility products to our business customers, and now we’re focusing on enhancing what we offer on the generation side to help National Grid manage grid stability.”
“We’re excited to use battery technology to demonstrate this wind power and battery hybrid capability. With eight existing offshore wind farms in the UK and another four under construction, we expect to leverage further technology improvements and innovations and ensure that DONG Energy supports the stability of grid systems as generation capacity becomes cleaner and more sustainable,“ Ole Kjems Sørensen concluded.
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