Four new grid-integrated energy storage systems have been put into operation in the supply area of OPUS TITÁSZ Zrt. The almost 4 billion forint development will enable the grid to receive even more electricity from renewable energy production. The investment will contribute to improving the quality of energy supply in the long term.
OPUS TITÁSZ Zrt. is a reliable, innovative company with a history spanning several decades, whose main task is to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply. In order to effectively connect the growing electricity demand and the increasingly significant proportion of weather-dependent production capacities, OPUS TITÁSZ Zrt. is continuously developing its electricity network. One such development is the current installation of grid-integrated electricity storage systems, which were implemented in order to increase the efficiency of weather-dependent, renewable energy production and use, decentralized and connected to low- and medium-voltage distribution networks.
In the context of the EU’s climate protection efforts, the possibilities of storing electrical energy are receiving increasing attention in Europe. Energy storage can play an important role in the decarbonization of the electricity sector, as it can facilitate the integration of renewable sources by balancing the amount of energy produced by wind and solar power plants.
For a significant part of renewables, the amount of energy produced is dependent on the weather, while consumption can follow a completely different pattern, which can make the entire electricity grid unstable. By storing electricity, production does not have to constantly adapt to consumption, and renewable energy producers do not have to be regulated, which otherwise reduces their efficiency and the amount of energy produced.
The new grid-integrated storage units were installed by OPUS TITÁSZ specialists in the areas of Rakamaz (2.75 MWh), Aranyosapáti (3.65 MWh), Csenger (6.9 MWh), and Nyírlugos (2.58 MWh). The total output of the units is 4.5 MW, and their nominal electricity storage capacity is 15.88 MWh. The storage units can be connected to at least two medium-voltage networks each, thus increasing their role in balancing. 1 MWh of capacity would be able to supply approximately 160 households for one hour.
By balancing unbalanced consumption/production, energy storage systems have a beneficial effect on voltage problems in the network. Thus, the energy flow of the medium- and low-voltage network has been further stabilized in the area of the installed storage systems, which has significantly reduced network voltage problems. However, these integrated storage systems are systems integrated into the electricity network and cannot be used for energy trading, only for improving network quality parameters (voltage regulation).
The project is being implemented with approximately 3.99 billion forints, supported by the Ministry of Energy, from the Modernization Fund.
“The use of storage also means that existing network capacities can be used more efficiently, there is no need to oversize the network, and the entire electricity system needs to be adapted to the peak production of renewables. Battery storage installed in the electricity network can ensure the balancing of the network for 10 years and is capable of eliminating voltage fluctuations on the network in real time, both on the low-voltage and medium-voltage sides.”
– Balázs Péli, Deputy CEO of the electricity network of OPUS TITÁSZ Zrt.
OPUS TITÁSZ Zrt. also contributes to the greening and competitiveness of the domestic energy sector with its development of energy storage.
