Merus Power received 38MW/40MWh battery energy storage order from eNordic and Lappeenrannan Energia – The new battery energy storage system strengthens the power grid
Merus Power has signed a contract with a joint venture between Skip Wind 5 Oy, a Finnish holding company of Ardian Clean Energy Evergreen Fund (ACEEF), and Lappeenrannan Energia Oy, a Finnish municipal energy company, to supply a large battery energy storage system (BESS). This 38-megawatt and over 40-megawatt-hour energy storage system will support the Finnish power grid. The project is slated for completion by spring 2025 and will be located in Lappeenranta, near the Mertaniemi power plant.
Merus Power’s battery energy storage delivery represents a complete package, commissioned and tested according to the approval tests of Finland’s transmission system operator, Fingrid, for energy storage. The total investment is larger, including locally built infrastructure and a long-term maintenance contract and it signifies the commitment of Ardian and Lappeenrannan Energia to advancing energy infrastructure in the Nordics. The project is financed by Ardian, a world leading private investment house, through its Ardian Clean Energy Evergreen Fund.
The central function of the energy storage system is to participate in Fingrid’s frequency reserve markets and thus support the balancing of production and consumption in the power grid. “Merus Power has built strong expertise in the electricity markets, intelligent power electronics, and understanding and addressing the needs of our customers. This agreement confirms the success of our strategy and our position in the sector,” says Kari Tuomala, CEO of Merus Power.
“The investment in a new battery storage system, which is a first for Ardian’s clean energy evergreen fund, is an essential part of our strategy in Finland. We identified an opportunity to scale Finland’s wind capacity and connect battery storage technology to create a balanced and productive energy system. With our existing strong presence and network in the Nordic countries, and our expertise in financing and operating long-term renewables projects, Ardian is perfectly placed to foster this new market opportunity.” says Benjamin Kennedy, Managing Director, Renewables Infrastructure, Ardian.
Ardian runs its investments in the Nordics through its operating partner eNordic Oy, a Nordic renewable energy investment platform. “Our goal is to be at the forefront of transforming the Nordic energy system towards sustainable development. We have chosen a regional battery energy storage contractor, Merus Power, due to their expertise and proven capability in this new sector. ”, says Eero Auranne, CEO of eNordic Oy
Maintaining the balance between electricity production and consumption is becoming increasingly important as renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power become more common in energy production. The fast-reactive energy storage is capable of meeting the balancing needs of the power grid with millisecond precision, which is essential for the stability of a modern electricity network.
“The contract package includes not only an energy storage system made in Finland but also a long-term maintenance and operation agreement, which ensures the high availability of the energy storage over the long term. “Through the maintenance and operation agreement, along with the associated remote control and cloud service, we can offer our customer even higher operational reliability and sufficient maintenance and monitoring measures to ensure the longevity of the investment”, says Markus Ovaskainen, Sales Director of Merus Power.
