The Tokyo-based IT group claims the installation will be the biggest energy storage system in Switzerland. It is scheduled for completion in early 2018, according to an online statement. NEC did not reveal the specifications of the system or the financial terms of the deal. Its U.S. subsidiary specializes in the production of lithium-ion storage batteries, as well as rack-integrated energy storage and battery components.
Zurich-based EKZ — which operates 8.5 MW of solar across 63 sites in its home market, on top of wind, biomass and hydropower assets — will own and run the battery bank. Switzerland’s total installed PV capacity stood at 1.6 GW at the end of 2016, up from 1.39 GW a year earlier, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
“Battery storage will play a key role in tomorrow’s power networks. With this first large-scale commercial battery storage project performing primary reserve in Switzerland, we’re taking an important step towards a reliable and sustainable energy future,” said Marina González Vayá, project manager for EKZ. “NEC ES’s fast, flexible energy storage product proved to be the best solution to complement conventional power production assets such as pumped hydro storage and thermal generation resources in the primary reserve control market.”
Popular content
EKZ — one of the largest energy suppliers in Switzerland — has operated a 1 MW energy storage project in the Swiss municipality of Dietikon since 2012. NEC will build the 18 MW project at a substation near Zurich in Volketswil. Its storage capacity will be roughly the same as the daily electricity consumption of 600 average homes.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment.
Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website. Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so.
You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future, in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately. Otherwise, your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled.
Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy.