Leclanché battery storage supporting gas turbine

Swiss-based Leclanché SA will provide its battery energy storage system and management software to help a natural gas-fired power plant comply with new European regulations.

The project for Energodata, a major provider of ancillary grid services in Slovakia, for the power plant in Levice.

Rendering of how the project will look with containerised battery system on the left and two power conversion units on the right.

The Leclanché EMS and BESS will be installed in the Veolia gas power plant in Western Slovakia. The 5.2 MW, 2.9 MWh energy storage system will be installed in the plant’s internal medium voltage grid. It will be used to help the plant comply with new European secondary frequency control regulations for automatic frequency restoration reserve (aFRR). The regulation, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2022, requires the plant to deliver its full power, when requested by the transmission system operator (TSO), in just 7.5 minutes instead of the current 15 minutes.

Energodata, working with Slovak engineering, procurement and construction contractor TESLA Blue Planet, will supply the system including an Energodata control system, which will interface between the TSO and Leclanché’s EMS and BESS.

“We picked Leclanché as our partner in this project due to its engineering experience and ability to select the right technology for this specific application and adapt it to our specific project environment,” said Tomas Komada, chief business development officer, TESLA Blue Planet.

“Leclanché has previously provided energy storage systems for primary frequency control with Almelo in Holland, Cremzow in Germany and the PJM in the United States,” said Anil Srivastava, CEO, Leclanché. “This is now the first time in Eastern Europe that an energy storage system is being deployed to help an existing power plant to support secondary frequency control. This is a further contribution to stabilizing the European grid and helping to integrate more and more renewable production. This application further demonstrates the flexibility and benefits of Leclanché technology and know-how.”

The system is scheduled to be installed and fully operational in the fourth quarter of 2021.