Tesla unveils new large Powerpack project for grid balancing in Europe
Tesla has unveiled yet another new large Powerpack energy storage project and this time, it’s going to be used as a virtual power plant for grid balancing in Europe.
The new project has been unveiled today in Terhills, Belgium.
It is made of 140 Powerpacks and a bunch of Tesla inverters for a total power output of 18.2 MW.
The Powerpack system will be used for similar grid services as Tesla’s 100MW/129MWh Powerpack project in South Australia, where the project had a massive impact on the cost of FCAS (frequency control and ancillary services).
Tesla partnered with Restore, a demand response aggregator, to build the system and offer balancing services to European transmission system operators.
Instead of using gas generators and steam turbines kicking to compensate for losses of power on the grid, Tesla’s batteries are charged when there’s excess power and then discharge when there’s a need for more power.
Restore UK Vice President Louis Burford told The Energyst that they are bundling their assets like batteries as a ‘synthetic pool’:
“By creating synthetic pools or portfolios, you reduce the technical requirements on individual assets that otherwise would not be able to participate [in certain balancing services]. By doing so you create value where it does not ordinarily exist. That is only achievable through synthetic portfolios.”
The executive said that they have a second similar project that they are soon launching in the UK.
