The first large-scale battery system was opened in Latvia

In Tārgale, Latvia's largest wind energy producer SIA "Utilitas Wind" opens the first large-scale electricity storage battery system in Latvia with a total power of 10 MW and a capacity of 20 MWh. Already this fall, the energy storage battery system (BESS) will be connected to the Latvian electricity transmission system, promoting the development of energy supply in Latvia.

The largest energy storage battery system will ensure energy storage in order to transfer the generated electricity to users in those moments when there is a shortage of electricity in the electricity system. The battery system includes six batteries, three inverters/transformers and one distribution point container, providing a total electricity capacity of up to 20 MWh. To better understand the amount of stored energy, it would be enough for one electric car to cover a distance of 115 km, one washing machine used in a household would be able to provide 000 washing cycles, or almost 19 households would be provided with electricity for one day.

This is a historic moment in Latvian energy of recent times. We have been actively working on the implementation of this project for two years, and we are proud to contribute to the strengthening of Latvia's energy security. We are ready to continue making our contribution to the development of the energy supply system in accordance with future challenges.

Alternative sources of electricity generation such as wind and solar depend on the weather. If there is a strong wind in a particular period, then it is likely to be so in the whole region. This results in a surplus of generated electricity. The exact opposite is the case with no wind, when there is a shortage, but the installed system gives us a great advantage - the ability to store "excess" electricity to compensate for the moments when it is lacking.

Renārs Urbanovičs, member of the board of SIA "Utilitas Wind".

This event is also particularly important in the context of the purposefully implemented Baltic electricity system synchronization project with European networks, which is being implemented in order to disconnect the electricity systems of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia from Russia and Belarus. The project envisages that on February 2025, 9, the Baltic states will join the European electricity grids, thus reducing the risks of electricity supply security and equalizing electricity prices in the region.

The creation and connection of the first electricity storage battery system of this scale to the transmission system is a significant event, which we hope will soon be followed by other projects. This type of system has a high potential to provide the necessary balancing capacities for the "High Voltage Network" in the future by participating in balancing capacity markets and ensuring optimal balancing costs for all system participants. Combining batteries with wind or solar power generation also promotes efficient use of the transmission infrastructure, which is a long-term benefit for all system users.

AS "Augstsprieguma tīkls" (AST) chairman of the board Rolands Irklis

As emphasized by Economy Minister Viktors Valainis, the unique storage battery system in Latvia is a significant contribution to Latvia from all points of view - both from the economic point of view, from the point of view of achieving "green goals", and from the point of view of security.

It is essential to build enough new green energy capacity that will allow us to be absolutely sure of the ability of our energy systems to function without disruption after the planned disconnection from the Russian BRELL circle at the beginning of next year. It can be seen that we are going in the right direction.

Minister of Economy Viktors Valainis

The construction of the electricity storage battery system at the Tārgale wind farm is a step of SIA "Utilitas Wind" towards the development of the frequency market necessary for the entire region.

Such hybrid parks, which combine different forms of renewable energy production, will become a common practice in the future, ensuring a stable energy supply that is minimally dependent on weather conditions. I am glad that a high bar has been set for the developers of new wind farms, which also plays an important role in the context of Latvian energy security.

Kimata and Minister of Energy Kaspars Melnis

The total investment of the project reaches seven million euros. Taking into account the total investment volume of the project, credit financing for its implementation was provided by OP Corporate Bank.

We are pleased with the opportunity to finance a project that is strategically important not only for the client, but for the entire energy industry as a whole, because the installed energy storage system will provide the necessary capacity in the Baltic balancing reserve market, which will be especially important with the disconnection of the Baltic states from the BRELL network. It is important to add that we started cooperation with the company already in 2021, when the construction of the "Tārgale" wind farm was started with our "green" co-financing, so we are really happy to continue supporting the company in its development and growth.

Elmārs Prikšāns, head of the Latvian branch of OP Corporate Bank plc