Nippon Koei and Yuso recently set-up a joint venture company “Ruien Energy Storage NV” (RES NV) to develop and operate a utility scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) on the site of a now decommissioned 800MW coal fired power plant in Ruien (East-Flanders, Belgium).
The BESS commissioning is expected for early 2020. The capacity of the energy storage installation will be 25 MW with the option to enlarge its size later. The project leverages on the grid connection infrastructure available at this location, adjacent the HV substation operated by the Belgian TSO Elia.
The BESS targets deliveries of ancillary services (Frequency Control Regulation, FCR) to Elia and other ENTSO-E member TSO’s as well as more localized energy service offerings at the site, currently under post-decommissioning redevelopment. Bart Tommelein, vice minister-president in the Flemish government and minister of Budget, Finance and Energy commented; “Investments in storage and flexibility are necessary to store
renewable energy, for the sun does not always shine, nor is there wind at any given time. Storage of energy is therefore of foremost importance for the energy transition to succeed in Flanders. For this reason, the Flemish government intends to introduce a support scheme for storage soon. We are very pleased that Ruien will now see the development of a large energy storage project at the very location where a large thermal power plant once stood! It proves that the energy transition is in full swing!”
Mr. Hiroyuki Akiyoshi, Director and Senior Managing Executive Officer at Nippon Koei motivates the JV as follows: “[…] As renewable energy sources are intermittent and increase the difficulties in balancing demand/supply of electricity, battery energy storage systems help to maintain the stability of the grid. It is at this point that Nippon Koei can leverage on its proven experience in the field of battery-based energy storage systems and high voltage engineering”.
