AES to Expand Energy Storage Presence in the Netherlands
Project will be AES’ first utility-scale energy storage deployment in continental Europe
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, April 30, 2015 – AES Europe today announced plans to construct 10 MW of interconnected advanced, battery-based energy storage in the Netherlands, which will provide 20 MW of flexible resource to the electric grid. AES’ Netherlands project, the first deployment of AES’ Advancion™ solution in continental Europe, will provide Primary Control Reserve (PCR) from the Zeeland Province, supporting the European transmission grid via regional distribution system operator DELTA Netwerkgroep and transmission system operator, TenneT. This project is expected to enhance regional power supply, grid efficiency and system reliability at lower cost and increase the region’s ability to integrate renewable energy. AES’ other project plans in Europe include a 100 MW interconnected storage array, of which 10 MW is already in construction, located at the Kilroot power station in Northern Ireland to improve the flexibility of and lower customer costs for the power system managed by System Operator Northern Ireland (SONI).
“We are very pleased with this development,” said Ben Voorhorst, COO, TenneT. “We believe that storage, providing additional flexibility is an important step in the transition towards a sustainable energy system. We look forward to AES’ participation on the market for frequency containment reserve."
“Energy storage is an attractive resource due to its unique ability to cost-effectively solve a myriad of grid challenges,” said Julian Nebreda, President, AES Europe. “We’re seeing this technology gain momentum in Europe as a smart way to help manage the variability of renewables and economically provide both supply and load.”
AES’ Advancion solution provides unmatched operational flexibility while lowering overall system cost and emission levels. The Netherlands project is expected to begin commercial operation later this year.
The solution follows the recently released Netherlands Energy Storage Roadmap, developed by DNV GL, together with TU Delft and Berenschot, to facilitate the introduction of renewable energy sources with energy storage. This roadmap envisions energy storage as a key part of the solution to modernize the electricity infrastructure in the Netherlands by 2030.
“One of the most profound changes to the power system is the expanding role of solar and wind. Energy storage has become more integral to the reliability and sustainability of the grid,” said Petra de Boer, Storage expert at DNV GL - Energy. “In our roadmap we recommend actions that need to be taken to get more flexibility in the energy system such as energy storage. We are excited to see leading companies, like AES, bring energy storage to scale in the Netherlands and are encouraged by the possibilities that projects like these will bring in modernizing the future electrical infrastructure with the most cutting-edge technologies.”
This Netherlands project underscores significant momentum for AES in the industry. The company recently unveiled a portion of its 2015 energy storage plans, which include more than 500 MW of resources in operation, deployment, or late stage development in 2015, in the U.S., South America and Europe.
AES’ Advancion solution is built with pre-qualified battery technology from best-in-class suppliers and incorporates AES’ more than seven years of commercial experience with advanced energy storage and more than 30 years of experience in serving utilities around the world. Advancion is continuously available, without burning fuel, and is designed as a scalable resource, offering the ability to grow over time to meet future power needs.
“We’re excited to be at the forefront of this grid transformation and are proud to be working with progressive utilities and transmission system operators, like TenneT and DELTA, to bring proven utility-scale storage to mainland Europe,” concluded Steve Corwell, Vice President, AES Europe.
AES currently has 172 MW of grid-scale, power plant equivalent flexible resource in commercial operation in the United States and South America. AES currently operates 460 MW of traditional generation assets in the Netherlands.
About AES Energy Storage Solutions
AES is a leader in commercial energy storage, which enables utilities, power markets and renewable developers to manage projects from concept to operation with a market-proven solution. The company’s AdvancionTM energy storage solutions unlock value from existing power infrastructure, improving flexibility and reliability of the power system, and providing customers with a complete alternative to traditional peaking power plants. AES introduced the first grid-scale advanced battery in commercial power market service in 2008 and operates the largest fleet of battery-based storage assets in service today. The company works with utility partners and other customers to deliver the value of advanced storage around the world. To learn more, please visit www.aesenergystorage.com or @aes_es on Twitter.
About AES
The AES Corporation (NYSE:AES) is a Fortune 200 global power company. We provide affordable, sustainable energy to 18 countries through our diverse portfolio of distribution businesses as well as thermal and renewable generation facilities. Our workforce of 18,500 people is committed to operational excellence and meeting the world’s changing power needs. Our 2014 revenues were $17 billion and we own and manage $39 billion in total assets. To learn more, please visit www.aes.com. Follow AES on Twitter @TheAESCorp.
