News Releases

GAS NATURAL FENOSA AND TOSHIBA CELEBRATE THE START UP OF A PROJECT IN ALCALÁ DE HENARES TO STRENGTHEN THE ELECTRICITY GRID WITH TOSHIBA’S LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES

The aim of the BESS project is to evaluate the potential of the batteries as a solution to various challenges in electricity distribution in order to improve the efficiency, security and stability of the network.
29 Sep, 2015

 

Picture of System
Battery Energy Storage System

The Toshiba Technology Executive of Social Infrastructure Company, Kikuo Takagi, and the Managing Directors of Resources and of Regulated Businesses of GAS NATURAL FENOSA, Rosa Sanz and Antoni Peris, respectively, inaugurated today the start-up of the operations of the BESS (Battery Energy Storage System) demonstration project, which uses Toshiba’s lithium-ion batteries to improve the performance of an electric substation situated in Alcalá de Henares that is property of Gas Natural Fenosa. New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization of Japan (NEDO) is supporting the fund of this project and Director General, Kei Hosoi cerebrated the start-up of the BESS operation. The ceremony was also attended by the Mayor of Alcalá de Henares, Javier Rodríguez, and by the Industry Affairs Managing Director of the Autonomous Community of Madrid, Carlos López Jimeno.

This collaboration project between Toshiba and GAS NATURAL FENOSA will test the operation of the BESS system, developed by Toshiba, at various points in the distribution network of Unión Fenosa Distribución with the objective to evaluate the effectiveness of batteries in supporting the network at times of peak demand, and the ability of the BESS system to manage the power supply in places with a large temporary or seasonal electrical demand.

This project will also evaluate the effectiveness of the BESS to manage fluctuations in the grid caused by renewable energies. Ultimately, BESS aims to provide a technological solution to help the distribution network to become more stable, efficient and safe.

The system installed in Alcalá is composed of Toshiba’s intelligent  two separate battery containers  with a joint storage capacity of 776kWh and associated electronics to manage a power output of 500 kW.

Innovation in the electricity system

Toshiba is promoting large-scale use of the BESS system, with its lithium-ion battery technology of advanced SCiBTM technology. This technology offers excellent features: high reliability, long life of over 10,000 charge and discharge cycles and a great capacity and operational effectiveness at low temperatures. These characteristics make the BESS system particularly suitable for operation in distribution networks.

GAS NATURAL FENOSA is leading national and international innovation projects in its electricity grid, among which stand out, for example, PRICE, one of the most ambitious EU initiatives for the transformation of distribution networks into smart grids. In additions, it promotes relationships with leading partners such as Toshiba.