From pv magazine Spain.
The i-DE electricity distribution unit of Spanish utility Iberdrola has commissioned a lithium-ion energy storage system for Spanish grids. The €2 million project in the municipality of Caravaca de la Cruz, near Murcia in southeastern Spain, was conceived to improve the quality of energy supply. The facility will also even out loads from nearby solar parks, i-DE stated.
The 3 MWh battery can operate remotely and provide up to five hours of electricity to the surrounding districts of Cañada de la Cruz, Inazares, Moralejo, Barranda, El Moral and Los Royos in the event of an interruption to supply.
Rural Caravaca de la Cruz was chosen because of adverse weather incidents which interrupt the power distribution network, Iberdrola said. The isolated nature of the area, with dispersed communities, means grid problems can leave several population centers without power.
Installation of the battery removes the need to build 22km of power lines across environmental protection zones, the utility added. The facility will also be able to even out voltage during times of peak generation at several solar power plants nearby.
Iberdrola said the storage plant is equipped with an ‘intelligent’ system capable of determining which parts of the grid should be in operation by considering consumption, the production capacity of nearby PV plants and the state of battery charge, among other factors.
