balkangreenenergynews.com /romanias-biggest-battery-system-comes-online-within-wind-solar-hybrid-power-plant/

Romania's biggest battery system comes online within wind-solar hybrid power plant

Igor Todorović6-7 minutes 4/15/2024

Sweden-based Monsson inaugurated a 24 MWh battery energy storage system in Romania. It is the first phase out of 216 MWh planned in total. The facility is connected to the company’s Mireasa wind farm of 50 MW, while a 35 MW solar power plant is set to be added by the end of the year.

Hybrid power plant projects for more than one renewable source and energy storage are still rare in Europe. Still, it may not take long before they become standard. In partnership with Prime Batteries Technology in Romania, Monsson completed a major step in combining a wind and solar power investment with batteries.

The company headquartered in Stockholm officially put into operation an energy storage system. Located in Constanța county in Romania, the facility has 6 MW in operating power and a capacity of four hours, It translates to 24 MWh, making it the biggest battery energy storage system or BESS in the country.

Moreover, it was just the first of three phases that are envisaged to be completed at 216 MWh by next year. There is still no battery of such size in Europe. Early-stage investor in battery producers EIT InnoEnergy participates in the project.

Backed by the European Union’s European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), it is a shareholder in Romania-based Prime Batteries Technology or PBT, which manufactured the modular lithium ion BESS.

Monsson built energy storage unit at location of Mireasa wind farm

The unit in the Dobruja (Dobrogea) area is part of a pioneering hybrid power plant investment. It will be integrated with wind and solar power, which are mostly complementary. Namely, photovoltaics are operational only in daylight and have the strongest output in the summer, while the wind is usually stronger at night and in the winter.

The Gălbiori 2 solar park is expected to be added to the hybrid power plant in Dobruja by the end of the year

Monsson’s new BESS will store excess electricity from wind turbines and solar panels, to be used at times when domestic demand is stronger. The unit will be charged with energy from the existing 50 MW Mireasa wind farm at the same location, the developer reiterated. It said it is building the 35 MW Gălbiori 2 PV farm at the site. The unit is scheduled to be connected to the grid before the end of the year and added to the equation.

The existing Gălbiori solar power plant has just above 1 MW in connection capacity.