ABB today announced the successful commissioning of Denmark’s first urban energy storage system. The Lithium-ion based battery energy storage system (BESS) will be integrated with the local electricity grid in the new harbour district of Nordhavn, Copenhagen. The system has been commissioned for Radius Elnet.

"We are delighted to implement this innovative solution which will help improve the security of power supplies and further support Denmark’s integration of renewable energy. This is an excellent example of ABB’s strategy of being able to supply eco-efficient and innovative solutions to the energy sector," said Giandomenico Rivetti, Managing Director of ABB’s High Voltage Products business unit, a part of the company’s Power Grids division. “As one of the key players in the smart energy revolution, ABB sees energy storage solutions as key part of the future grid in order to efficiently utilise renewable energy”.

Moreover, when Radius takes advantage of the excess battery capacity by making it available in the market, the electricity company also contributes to the balancing of the overall system.

The battery storage solution will account for a significant part of the energy system, in which solar and wind energy will provide the majority of electricity production. Since renewable energy production is less predictable, the storage system will be a key element of energy supply. ABB’s flexible and modular system can be used for different functionalities such as peak load shaving and frequency response.

“By integrating battery storage in Nordhavn we have the opportunity to learn more about how new technological solutions and market mechanisms interact with the grid,” said Knud Pedersen, Chairman of the Board at Radius, “I expect, that battery technology, on the longer horizon, holds the potential to reduce the load on the grid and make it run more cost-efficiently.”

The battery energy storage system is part of the “EnergyLab Nordhavn” project implemented in the Nordhavn district of Copenhagen. The project aims to develop and demonstrate energy solutions of the future. This includes providing valuable knowledge to help realise a more flexible and sustainable electricity grid with large amounts of renewable energy. These solutions are crucial for reaching the ambitious goal of turning Copenhagen into the world’s first carbon neutral capital in 2025.