ENEL unveils first power storage facility for renewable energy plants in Italy

Italy-based renewable energy company Enel Green Power has inaugurated the first power storage facility for renewable energy plants in Catania in Sicily, Italy.

The 1MW/2MWh storage system, which uses sodium-metal halide technology developed by General Electric (GE), has been connected to the integral part of 10MWp Catania 1 photovoltaic plant.

The firm has signed a technology partnership agreement with GE that forecasts renewable plants experimentation to improve grid integration.

EGP CEO Francesco Venturini said: "Enel Green Power has achieved another first.

"Technologically advanced storage systems like the one we are inaugurating today will reduce intermittency and enable us to manage the unpredictability of certain renewable sources, thereby helping to ensure the stability and control of the grid.

"The active integration of renewables with pioneering and innovative solutions such as this one is key for the ongoing development of the sector."

The storage system will help to resolve the unpredictability of a few renewable sources whilst managing the delivery of power to the grid.

The company plans to operate such storage systems in Europe, Latin America and North America.

Enel Green Power also operates a factory of 3SUN, the largest manufacturer of photovoltaic modules, and a research centre for testing advanced solar solutions.

It is also working on the 18MW Potenza Pietragalla wind farm located in Basilicata and equipped with 2MW/2MWh Samsung Lithium-Ion batteries.

This is the first wind farm in Italy to be combined with a storage system and connected to the high-voltage grid.