Technical and economic innovations emerging from the project as well as well known benefits including higher capacity, lifetime and increased safety, will challenge the role and future integration of high-energy battery-based energy storage applications for added ‘value-stacking’ options, particularly to support greater electric vehicle usage and infrastructure to support wide-area charging, commutation and renewable energy.

Project ambitions are far reaching and expected to significantly impact the future of All-Ireland energy strategy and targets – not least in terms of delivering DS3 services – but fundamentally in the longer term, by influencing the shape and reshaping of business cases and agile market models to best support adoption of I-SEM and effective energy trading within Ireland and through interconnection, beyond its shores.

The critical importance of novel and effective battery energy storage systems (BESS) in providing a sustainable electrical supply is receiving more attention by a range of stakeholders involved in utilities, end-users, grid system operators and regulators. Our innovative project recognises the wide range of opportunities for energy storage in providing long-term and sustainable solutions in order to contribute to a growing and diverse demand for energy, particularly from renewable sources.

Within the energy market landscape in Ireland, there is particular scope for energy storage development and integration of systems alongside existing and new power plant sites to leverage new services identified under DS3. To date, there has been one deployment of a 10 MW evaluation battery unit by AES at Kilroot power station in Northern Ireland, primarily for grid support and this work is currently ongoing.

Our project will provide new commercial opportunities for wind providers, solar PV, micro-grids, cooperative generation and independent power generators and open the prospect for significant enterprise in renewable generation. In particular, the project will facilitate future and additional accommodation of renewable technologies across Ireland with provision for wide-area energy storage at transmission and distribution levels and appropriate smart grid technologies to engage demand-side participation and reduction.