Less than two months after S4 Energy's ultra-fast operating reserve for Dutch TSO TenneT was unveiled, an agreement has been signed to triple its capacity to 9 MW. Two more KINEXT/battery combinations will be installed in Almelo, providing a template that can be copied to create more FCR capacity throughout Europe.

The existing installation in Almelo is a unique combination of battery systems, large kinetic storage units and smart algorithms. It was built and is managed by S4 Ancillary Services, a joint venture between Energiefonds Overijssel (EFO) and S4 Energy Nederland. Since its official presentation in November 2017, S4 Ancillary Services has used the system to help TenneT TSO cope with sudden frequency fluctuations in the grid, taking part in weekly Frequency Containment Reserve tenders (FCR).

Growth in FCR services

The demand for FCR services is growing throughout Europe, as more and more renewable energy sources feed into the grid and plans are made to gradually decrease dependency on coal-fueled electricity plants. In view of this trend, S4 Ancillary Services has decided to increase the installed capacity in Almelo from 2.8MW to 9MW, by adding two more KINEXT/battery units.

On the 24th of January, funding was formalised in an agreement between Energiefonds Overijssel (EFO) and S4 Energy Nederland.

Streamlining installation

“We’re convinced that we’ve only just begun to tap the market’s potential demand for FCR services”, says Leo Visser (S4 Energy). “That is why we’re not just looking to boost capacity here in Almelo; we will also use this opportunity to streamline the installation process. We’re developing a template that will make it easier to create more FCR capacity elsewhere, on the Dutch grid and abroad.”