Swiss company Alpiq, a major European electricity producer and energy services provider, recently placed an order worth almost €20 million with Merus Power Plc. This order concerns the construction of a 30 MW/36 MWh energy storage facility in Valkeakoski, Finland. The project, which will be connected to the Fingrid grid, aims to improve the balance between electricity production and consumption. Energy storage is developing rapidly in Finland, as demonstrated by the Callio project led by SENS and Dovre Group.
Alpiq’ s planned Valkeakoski energy storage facility will be one of the largest in Finland in terms of capacity. Its main role will be to participate actively in the Fingrid frequency reserve market. This capacity will stabilize grid frequency in response to rapid fluctuations in electricity demand and supply, particularly impacted by intermittent renewable energy sources.
Technological and business development
Merus Power will integrate high-tech components into the project, including intelligent software and high-performance batteries. The ability to react in milliseconds to frequency changes will ensure a fast and efficient response to network variations. By positioning itself as a key player in the energy storage sector, Merus Power is capitalizing on its expertise and local production capacities in Finland.
Impact on the European market
For Alpiq, this strategic investment is aimed at strengthening security of supply on its European markets. The integration of energy storage systems is essential to manage the intermittent capacities of renewable energies. This project enables Alpiq to combine its flexibility in energy generation with the advantages of storage systems, thus meeting increasingly complex market requirements.
Alpiq’s investment in the Valkeakoski energy storage facility marks a significant step forward in balancing and securing Europe’s electricity grids. In collaboration with Merus Power, Alpiq demonstrates the importance of technological innovation for the efficient management of electricity grids. This initiative reflects a growing trend towards the adoption of advanced energy storage solutions to meet the challenges of the energy market.
