Ireland – ESB and energy storage experts Fluence announced a 75 MW / 150 MWh energy storage solution at ESB’s Poolbeg facility in Dublin, as well as a 30 MW / 60 MWh project at a second ESB plant at South Wall in Dublin.
The Poolbeg battery is the largest in terms of energy capacity that has been signed in the EU. When combined with ESB / Fluence projects already under construction in Inchicore, Dublin, and Aghada, Co Cork, the 308 MWh fleet constitutes Europe’s largest overall energy storage portfolio deal. When finished, the portfolio will be able to power about 321,000 homes and businesses in Ireland during peak demand.
The Fluence projects are ESB’s first big battery projects, and they represent a significant increase in the magnitude of stored energy capacity. The Aghada (38 MWh) and Inchicore (60 MWh) systems are scheduled to be completed in early 2022. The installation of 150 MWh at Poolbeg and 60 MWh at South Wall, both of which are scheduled to be completed in early 2023, provides large-scale battery storage for Dublin. All four initiatives are two-hour systems that can replace many grid functions that would otherwise be fueled by fossil fuels. Previously, operational battery-based energy storage systems in Ireland could only provide full power for 30 minutes or less. Such short-duration assets are largely responsible for correcting supply and demand imbalances for seconds or minutes at a time.
Fluence, a joint venture between Siemens and the AES Corporation, offers battery energy storage systems and services, as well as digital applications for renewables and storage assets. It provides large-scale energy storage solutions for integrating renewable energy into the grid, improving transmission and distribution services, and providing a variety of other vital grid functions. Fluence’s integrated hardware and software are technology neutral, acquiring batteries and system components from a broad global supply chain to provide the best battery-based solution for each customer’s needs. Fluence’s significant presence in Europe, including regional offices and a lab in Germany, makes the firm a preferred technology provider for the region’s utilities, IPPs, transmission system operators, and financiers.
