54 MW floating energy storage system planned

Wärtsilä said it is supplying the first floating energy storage solution in the South East Asia region.

Therma Marine Inc. (TMI), a subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corp., one of the Philippines’ leading companies involved in power generation, distribution, and retail electricity services, has ordered a barge-mounted 54 MW/32 MWh energy storage system to be delivered by Wärtsilä on an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) basis. The Wärtsilä barge will be placed next to TMI’s existing 100 MW thermal power barge in the municipality of Maco in the province of Davao de Oro. The project will be handled on a fast-track basis, with delivery scheduled to be completed in Q4 2021.

The first-ever deployment of a floating energy storage solution in South East Asia involves 10 Wärtsilä GridSolv Max systems, supported by advanced GEMS software aboard a barge.

The deployment includes 10 Wärtsilä GridSolv Max systems, supported by the company’s advanced GEMS energy management platform, aboard a floating barge. The solution will provide flexibility for TMI in their ancillary service contract with the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines.

“In addition to meeting TMI’s needs, it is important to note that Wärtsilä is the sole EPC provider for this kind of a project,” said Kari Punnonen, Wärtsilä Energy Business director, Australasia. “The alternative would be to have one supplier for the barge and another for the energy storage system, which would require a lot of coordination and would undoubtedly slow the final delivery considerably.”

Wärtsilä’s GridSolv Max is an advanced energy storage solution that is designed for streamlined installation and integration, significantly increasing energy density and system reliability to meet customer energy needs while also adequately future-proofing their hardware assets, the company said. The standardized architecture supports both stand-alone energy storage deployments as well as integrated hybrids with thermal or renewable generation assets.

GEMS has become the most-used energy storage software and integration platform, operating globally in over 70 systems. GEMS offers the widest selection of use-case applications and can manage, integrate and synchronize any complex composition of energy assets, including wind, solar, thermal and storage.

The number of Wärtsilä power barge installations globally is 26, with a total power output of 1500 MW. A floating power barge enables fast supply of electricity to areas with limited infrastructure and is a mobile asset, enabling relocation or trade.

Wärtsilä has a strong presence in South East Asia, with a total installed capacity of more than 9000 MW, of which 2000 MW were executed as EPC deliveries, including approximately 300 MW of energy storage.