NorthSTOR+: Industrialising Green Optimised Li-ion Battery Systems for ESS

Introduction

Energy Stationary Storage (ESS) is essential to decarbonise the energy sector as it allows maximum penetration of intermittent renewable energy generation by balancing generation and supply and ensuring system stability. ESS will thereby contribute to the displacement of carbon-intensive fossil fuel generation sources in the European electricity system, contributing to climate mitigation.

Decarbonisation Targets

It is estimated that approximately 108 GW of stationary battery storage is required in 2030 to meet EU decarbonisation targets. The deployment of batteries for ESS in Europe is immature and will require significant investments in product development and industrialisation.

Current State of Technology

The current state of the art for Lithium-ion battery grid ESS solutions is Asian-produced LFP or High Cobalt NMC battery cells. These systems are bulky, inflexible, and perform poorly on sustainability criteria such as embedded carbon content. There are also safety issues that have caused notable fire incidents.

Project Overview

The NorthSTOR+ project aims to validate the technology development of an innovative energy stationary storage system (ESS) and to industrialise the production of the solution at a mass scale.

Product Features

The final product, the Voltainer, features Lithium-ion ESS based on a battery cell originally developed for the automotive sector, resulting in a product that is larger and more energy dense than those currently available on the market. The Voltainer will offer superior characteristics in terms of:

• Performance
• Safety
• Costs
• Flexibility
• Connectivity
• Traceability
• Life-cycle environmental impact

compared to state-of-the-art products. The project will result in 100% relative greenhouse gas emission avoidance compared to the reference scenario.

Capacity and Benefits

At full capacity (2029), approximately 6 GWh Voltainer units per annum will be delivered. The absolute CO2 saving over the initial 10 years of operation is estimated at 34,519,213 tonnes.

Economic Impact

The estimated net benefit for the end customer is a cost reduction of 16.9-18.8% per kWh. Additionally, over 90% of the value of components and equipment will be sourced from the European supply chain.