Aneo and Siemens Energy have signed a pilot project with battery technology for power plants
Aneo and Siemens Energy have signed an agreement to establish a hybrid power plant by installing battery technology at hydroelectric power plants. With the pilot project HydroBattery, Aneo becomes one of the first in the Nordic region to explore how battery technology at hydroelectric plants can contribute to the power system.
– Aneo aims to contribute to profitable energy transition in Scandinavia. One of the challenges we must solve to achieve this is the increasing variability in both production and consumption in the power system. We are convinced that establishing hybrid operation with batteries at our power stations will contribute to better profitability for us and greater benefit for the power system. We will do our part to ensure that with this, we can both help shift power deliveries to times when demand in the power market is highest, and also participate in the frequency market with rapid effect to contribute to efficient grid operation, says Gunnar Hovland, CEO of Aneo.
Establishing a hybrid power plant with battery technology
Siemens Energy have been delivering battery systems in the global market for ships, offshore, and ferry charging stations for years. Now they are bringing their experience to create solutions tailored to grid applications.
– This is an exciting type of application that requires good expertise in the interaction between power systems, power electronics, and energy storage. We are particularly pleased to win a tender competition with products mainly developed and produced locally in Trondheim. Not only will the batteries be produced in Trondheim, but also essential power electronics and control systems. We thank Aneo for their trust and look forward to an exciting collaboration, says Ketil Aagesen, Head of Siemens Energy, Grid Technologies Storage BlueVault.
The plan is to place the battery and establish a hybrid power plant at Mørre Power Station, operated by TrønderEnergi Kraft.
– We find this very exciting and therefore want to contribute to the project by making Mørre power plant in Åfjord available to Aneo and Siemens Energy for battery installation and establishment of a hybrid power plant. By participating in the project, we, together with Aneo, will gain valuable experience from operating hybrid power plants in various markets, and thus be well prepared to supply power to future power systems, says Ann-Cathrine Holmen, manager at TrønderEnergi Kraft.
First in the Nordic region
Aneo is among the first to use batteries in power production. The HydroBattery project will hopefully provide answers to the possibilities of using batteries more extensively in power production.
– As the reserve market in Norway and the Nordic countries develops further, we are ready to contribute to an efficient power system. But to be able to contribute, we need frameworks that facilitate efficient markets and profitable services. To get there, NVE and Statnett must gain experience through practical examples of mechanisms that create the greatest possible benefit for the power system, and they get that through projects like this, where we and our partners combine power plants and batteries, says Peter Bakkeid, Head of Innovation and Implementation at Aneo.
About Siemens Energy
Siemens Energy is a global player established in 90 countries with 97,000 employees delivering various solutions tailored to the green shift. The Grid Technologies Storage unit is established to develop and deliver battery solutions for a range of applications. Siemens Energy AS in Trondheim houses the Norwegian part of the organization, which both develops and produces battery solutions.
About Aneo
The Nordic renewable energy group Aneo is headquartered in Trondheim and was established in the autumn of 2022. Aneo is owned by TrønderEnergi and HitecVision and has over 400 employees operating throughout Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
Aneo is a major owner of power production, both through wholly and partially owned wind farms in Norway and Sweden, but also through a significant stake in TrønderEnergi's hydroelectric power production. Aneo's mission is to ensure access to renewable energy and enable the transition from fossil to renewable solutions through renewable power generation, electrification, and energy efficiency.
About TrønderEnergi Kraft
TrønderEnergi Kraft is a subsidiary of TrønderEnergi and operates all hydroelectric power plants wholly or partially owned by TrønderEnergi. The company is headquartered in Trondheim and is led by Ann-Cathrine Holmen.