- PRESS RELEASE -
AES UK & Ireland today officially launched the AES Kilroot Advancion® Energy Storage Array along with Junior Ministers Jennifer McCann and Emma Pengelly from the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, along with 120 visitors from Northern Ireland, Great Britain, the Republic of Ireland, Europe and the United States. The event was followed by a tour with deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.
The Array, located in Kilroot Power Station in Carrickfergus, is the largest advanced energy storage system in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The array represents a significant investment in the future of Northern Ireland’s energy infrastructure and is the first step in delivering a 100 MW energy storage facility that would provide £8.5 million in system savings per annum and the equivalent of 123,000 tonnes of CO2 eliminated each year .
Speaking after a tour of the facility, deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, said: “The energy environment is constantly changing and energy storage has the potential to benefit all of us by lowering costs, helping the environment and improving security of supply to our homes and businesses. It is also an important factor as we look to decarbonise our energy supplies. I thank AES and congratulate them on their achievements and wish them every success with their proposals for full-scale deployment of the Array.”
The Advancion array provides 10 MW of interconnected energy storage, equivalent to 20 MW of flexible resource, and utilises the company’s Advancion energy storage platform. Advancion 4, the latest design introduced in November 2015, is a complete, battery-based alternative to traditional peaking power plants and pumped hydroelectric storage projects that provides a dependable, smart and cost-competitive means to support a reliable, low carbon electricity system for the Northern Ireland economy.
Enterprise, Trade & Investment Minister Jonathan Bell welcomed the Array as an additional tool to help support security of supply for Northern Ireland. “AES has extensive experience in developing battery storage arrays. I am sure this project will provide valuable insight into the contribution this technology can make to manage our energy demands. Ability to meet demand for electricity is one of the highest priorities for any Government. Energy drives economies and having available a source of power which can respond quickly to help meet demand at peak times can make an important contribution to system security.”
AES UK & Ireland President, Carla Tully said, “As the global leader in battery energy storage, AES is proud to bring our Advancion technology to the UK and Ireland. We’ve seen unprecedented interest in our operating facility in Northern Ireland as a model for energy storage development around the world.”
Since 5 January 2016, the Array has been operating as a fully commercial project within the system operator’s existing Harmonised Ancillary Services system. Additionally, Innovate UK is providing Energy Catalyst funding for Queen’s University Belfast to investigate the full potential of energy storage to benefit the UK and Ireland electricity systems by analysing the impact of this array.
Mark Thompson, Innovate UK's Lead Technologist for Energy Systems, said: "Northern Ireland has a much higher proportion of renewable electricity than the rest of the UK. As the proportion of low-cost renewables continues to grow and as grid-scale battery storage costs rapidly decrease, this project is an invaluable window into the future of the wider UK energy system. The AES project is therefore a perfect opportunity to demonstrate the network value and the business case for electricity storage at this scale in a real world environment."
The 10 MW array is a crucial first step towards a planned 100 MW energy storage array adjacent to Kilroot Power Station, which would be among the largest in the world. Globally, AES owns and operates the world’s largest advanced energy storage fleet, with 116 MW in operation, and a further 268 MW in construction or late stage development.
Speaking at the launch Junior Minister, Jennifer McCann said: “I welcomed the opportunity to visit this important investment by AES Group. I understand this investment has resulted in local contractors and sub contractors helping to deliver this important pilot project. The visit today has provided a great opportunity to visit this operating facility which I can see from being here has attracted considerable interest from academia, regulators and industry. I wish everyone involved with this project every success.
Junior Minister Emma Pengelly said: “The Kilroot and Ballylumford plants provide approximately 70% of Northern Ireland’s installed generating capacity. The Array is the largest advanced energy storage system in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland and represents a significant investment in the future of Northern Ireland’s energy infrastructure. I congratulate the AES team on their achievements and wish them every success with this highly innovative and important project.”
About AES UK & Ireland
AES UK & Ireland is the owner and operator of Ballylumford and Kilroot Power Stations in Northern Ireland. AES has operated in Northern Ireland since 1992. AES won the 2015 Allianz Arts & Business 2015 Business of the Year, and is the only company to achieve silver accreditation in Business in the Community NI’s CORE corporate sustainability certification. To learn more, please visit www.aesukireland.com or @aes_ukireland on Twitter.
About AES Energy Storage Solutions
AES is a leader in commercial energy storage solutions, which improve flexibility and reliability of the power system, and provide customers with a complete alternative to traditional peaking power plants. The company’s Advancion® 4 energy storage solution is available for sale to leading utilities, power markets, and independent power producers, and AES can manage installations from concept to operation with a market-proven solution that integrates best in class battery and power conversion technologies. AES introduced the first grid-scale advanced battery-based energy storage solution in commercial operations in 2008 and operates the largest fleet of battery-based storage assets in service today. AES has a total of 384 MW of interconnected energy storage, equivalent to 768 MW of flexible resource, in operation, construction or late stage development in six countries. 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.
About Innovate UK
Innovate UK are the UK’s innovation agency. We work with people, companies and partner organisations to find and drive the science and technology innovations that will grow the UK economy - delivering productivity, new jobs and exports and keeping the UK globally competitive in the race for future prosperity. For further information and to stay updated on the latest news from visit www.gov.uk/innovateuk, follow us on Twitter at @innovateuk or subscribe to our YouTube channel here.
Safe Harbour Disclosure
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 and of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those related to future earnings, growth and financial and operating performance. Forward-looking statements are not intended to be a guarantee of future results, but instead constitute AES’ current expectations based on reasonable assumptions. Forecasted financial information is based on certain material assumptions. These assumptions include, but are not limited to, our accurate projections of future interest rates, commodity price and foreign currency pricing, continued normal levels of operating performance and electricity volume at our distribution companies and operational performance at our generation businesses consistent with historical levels, as well as achievements of planned productivity improvements and incremental growth investments at normalized investment levels and rates of return consistent with prior experience.
Actual results could differ materially from those projected in our forward-looking statements due to risks, uncertainties and other factors. Important factors that could affect actual results are discussed in AES’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including, but not limited to, the risks discussed under Item 1A “Risk Factors” and Item 7: Management’s Discussion & Analysis in AES’ 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K and in subsequent reports filed with the SEC. Readers are encouraged to read AES’ filings to learn more about the risk factors associated with AES’ business. AES undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Any Stockholder who desires a copy of the Company’s 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K dated on or about February 25, 2015 with the SEC may obtain a copy (excluding Exhibits) without charge by addressing a request to the Office of the Corporate Secretary, The AES Corporation, 4300 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22203. Exhibits also may be requested, but a charge equal to the reproduction cost thereof will be made. A copy of the Form 10-K may be obtained by visiting the Company’s website at www.aes.com.
