Finland to stabilize grid with 30 MW/30 MWh battery

The Yllikkälä Power Reserve One project will be one of Europe’s largest storage installations and the biggest in the Nordic countries. French developer Neoen will deploy the big battery close to Lappeenranta in the southeastern part of the country.

June 10, 2020 Emiliano Bellini

The 100MW/129MWh lithium-ion battery coupled with the Hornsdale wind farm in Australia.

Image: Neoen

French renewable energy developer Neoen has announced plans to develop a 30 MW/30 MWh storage project near Lappeenranta, in southern Finland.

The Yllikkälä Power Reserve One project will stabilize the grid of network operator Fingrid by providing frequency regulation services.

“Aside from greater reliability and lower electricity grid stabilization costs, the plant will facilitate the integration of future renewable energies projects,” Neoen stated, adding that the battery was designed to harness Finland’s substantial wind resources.

Neoen did not disclose any additional technical or financial details about the project. The company is currently building a 600 MW battery storage facility in Australia that will provide fast frequency response services to the National Electricity Market (NEM).

The French developer has also installed the world’s largest operating battery system – the 100 MW/129 MWh Tesla big battery in South Australia, known as the Hornsdale Power Reserve. Frequency control ancillary services (FCAS) provided by the Tesla Big Battery, which is now set for a 50% expansion, contributed most of the 56% revenue jump banked by Neoen in the final quarter of 2019.

Finland launched a tender scheme for large-scale renewable energy projects at the end of 2018. Thus far, the authorities have only awarded wind projects. In the latest exercise, finalized in March, the Finnish Energy Agency granted a 12-year feed-in premium contract to 19 wind projects. The average price of the bids for the winning projects was €2.49 per MWh.

Finland had 205 MW of solar capacity installed at the end of last year, according to International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) figures. Most of that capacity is distributed – primarily small-scale PV installations. Installed wind power stood at 2.28 GW.

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