Neoen, a leading independent producer of exclusively renewable energy, has instructed Nidec, a provider of battery energy storage solutions, to start work on Storen Power Reserve at the end of December 2022. Located in the municipality of Ragunda, about 100 kilometers from the city of Östersund, the 40 MW / 40 MWh lithium-ion battery will be connected to the 130 kV transmission line of the E.ON network. Its commissioning is scheduled for the first half of 2024.
In accordance with its develop-to-own model, Neoen will be the long-term owner and operator of Storen Power Reserve. The battery will provide Svenska Kraftnät, the operator of the Swedish electricity transmission network, with system services, and in particular primary reserve services ( Frequency Containment Reserve services ). It will participate in the balancing of electricity production and consumption in real time, contributing in a competitive manner to the stability of the electricity system while facilitating the integration of new renewable energy plants.
This new battery illustrates Neoen’s ambition to become a leading player in Sweden. In addition to Storen Power Reserve (40 MW / 40 MWh), Neoen’s asset portfolio in Sweden includes the Storbrännkullen wind farm (57.4 MW – currently under construction) and the future Hultsfred solar power plant (90 MWp – planned construction for the second half of 2023). In addition, Neoen is strengthening its Swedish team established in Stockholm since 2020 and developing many other projects in the country.
Storen Power Reserve is Neoen’s second battery in the Nordics, after Yllikkälä Power Reserve (30 MW / 30 MWh), which was commissioned in Finland in 2020. Neoen is one of the world’s fastest growing players in the storage sector and a leader among large capacity battery operators, with a portfolio of batteries in operation or under construction exceeding 1000 MW. Neoen notably owns and operates two of the largest batteries in the world: the 300 MW / 450 MWh Victorian Big Battery and the 150 MW / 193.5 MWh Hornsdale Power Reserve, both in Australia.
Laetitia Prot, Neoen’s business development director in Sweden, said: “We are delighted with the rapid development of Neoen in Sweden, just two years after setting up our team based in Stockholm. I would like to thank all the stakeholders and, in particular the electricity distribution network operator E.ON as well as the municipality of Ragunda, for their support and for the active part they are taking alongside us in the transition energy from Sweden. Storen Power Reserve is a perfect illustration of our unique expertise, which allows us to rapidly deploy innovative solutions. We will continue to actively contribute to the development of renewable energy in Sweden in 2023.”
Xavier Barbaro, Chairman and CEO of Neoen, concludes:“I congratulate our Swedish team for this major step forward. We are convinced that very large batteries will play a decisive role in the energy transition, in Sweden as in the rest of the world. Storage is the cornerstone technology that unlocks the full potential of solar and wind. Thanks to its solar, wind and storage plants in Sweden and elsewhere, Neoen is proud to play an essential role in the electricity mix of the 21st century . »
