Eesti Energia has begun the configuration of the energy storage facility at the Auvere industrial complex

Eesti Energia has started the configuration of the energy storage facility at the Auvere industrial complex. This battery solution will help maintain the stability of the electricity system following desynchronisation and mitigate price fluctuations caused by the intermittency of non-dispatchable renewable energy production.

‘The more non-dispatchable renewable energy production enters the market, the greater the need for energy storage in the electricity system to maintain stable prices. Additionally, the transition to 15-minute pricing intervals and the desynchronisation of the Baltic electricity system from the Russian network further increase the need for energy storage solutions. All equipment for the Auvere storage facility has now been installed, electrical connections have been completed, and we have begun configuring the systems,’ explained Kristjan Kuhi, member of the management board of Eesti Energia.

A battery with a capacity of 26.5 megawatts and 53.1 megawatt-hours was installed at the Auvere industrial complex in Ida-Virumaa, enabling participation in both the electricity exchange and other energy markets to ensure electricity supply security. ‘Since the batteries can respond very quickly to changes in the electricity system, they are ideal assets for providing system services that will be particularly important following the desynchronisation of the Baltic electricity network,’ explained Kuhi.

The international procurement for the installation of the battery, organised by the energy company, was won by the joint tender from the energy solutions system integrator Diotech Group, under which the battery technology will be supplied by LG Energy Solution. ‘The system is designed to last 20 years, ensuring reliability, high cycle efficiency and minimal performance degradation even during long-term use. We are committed to creating a stable and sustainable dispatchable energy storage network in the Baltic region, and Eesti Energia’s storage facility is a significant step toward that goal,’ said Raivo Videvik, CEO of Diotech.

Representatives from LG Energy Solution and Power Electronics are also on-site for the configuration work, completing equipment inspections and preparing the systems for market testing. Once the configuration work is completed, Eesti Energia engineers, in collaboration with Diotech, will conduct the final tests, during which Eesti Energia’s smart management platform will begin automatically controlling the battery’s operations. The equipment installation and connection work was carried out by Enefit Solutions.

Kuhi added that the Auvere large-scale storage facility also serves as a pilot project. ‘Our future energy storage plans depend on the outcomes of the Auvere storage facility project, but by all indications, this large-scale storage facility will not be our last,’ Kuhi added.

Energy storage systems enable more efficient use of non-dispatchable renewable energy production in large electricity systems and in residential or commercial solar parks. ‘To maximise the benefits of battery solutions, we also offer our customers smart battery management. The same system that manages the Auvere storage facility also allows residential and business customers to get a faster return on their battery investment by simultaneously contributing to maintaining the balance of the electricity network,’ explained Kuhi.

Eesti Energia is an international energy company whose home markets are the Baltic States, Finland and Poland. The group’s activities include both energy production and sales, the development of the chemical industry and providing customers with practical and convenient energy solutions.

Diotech OÜ provides sustainable integrated solutions for renewable energy production, storage, electric vehicle charging, energy management and the optimisation of building lighting and technical systems. In addition to the parent company, Diotech OÜ, the group also includes subsidiaries operating in various business areas: Diotech Electric OÜ, Diotech Nord OÜ, Solar Wheel OÜ (Sunecor), and Solar Rent OÜ, as well as subsidiaries in Latvia and Lithuania.

Video of Auvere battery solution: https://youtu.be/0DoL2hg35Wg