E2S Power from Wettingen in the canton of Aargau and the Indian electricity supplier India Power have signed an agreement for the operation of a pilot thermal energy storage unit. The E2S storage system can largely be operated on the basis of existing power plant facilities of a previous generation and in conjunction with stored electricity from renewable sources, further details of which can be found in a press release. This cooperation will help to convert thermal power plants into clean energy storage facilities, the press release explains.
The pilot plant was designed, built and tested at E2S Power’s facility in less than nine months. It passed factory acceptance tests and will be delivered to India in the first quarter of 2023, E2S Power explains. This is the first step towards launching the E2S solution around the world.
Due to the rapid growth of renewable energy generation in overall energy mixes, long duration energy storage systems are “the need of the hour”, according to Anand K Pandey, Head of Renewables and New Business at India Power Corporation Limited, who describes the E2S Power solution as a “perfect match”. This technology additionally offers a solution to the challenge of meeting flexibility requirements for thermal power plants, Pandey concludes.
“India is one of the most important energy markets in the world. The growth in renewable energy capacity and opportunity to utilize valuable existing power infrastructure are a perfect fit for thermal energy storage technology developed by our engineers”, explains Sasha Savic, CEO of E2S Power, in the press release.
The product webpage of E2S Power provides a technical description. The renewable energy is stored in the form of heat, which can then be used to power the conventional turbines in the form of superheated steam when required.
