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"France's largest electricity storage battery" to be built in Boulouparis
The New Caledonian government authorised the operation of an electrochemical battery electricity storage facility in Boulouparis
Akuo New Caledonia is about to install a 150 megawatt/hour battery farm in Boulouparis, equivalent to the power needs of a city like Noumea for three hours. The New Caledonian government gave the go-ahead for the project.
Christopher Gygès, who is in charge of the government's energy transition explains:
"This is a 9-billion-euro project, which will be located near the source substation, close to the large photovoltaic farms that are due to open shortly and which will be used in particular to supply the metallurgy sector. It's the biggest battery in France."
What's the timetable? It's pretty tight. The plant will have to be commissioned in 18 months' time. New Caledonia has set itself a target of 80% renewable energy by 2030.
"If we don't, we won't be able to meet our energy transition targets." The constraints on the chosen operator are "extremely strong", he insists.
Construction Manager at Akuo New Caledonia, Kéveen Meurlay said:
"This battery will absorb the excess production from the photovoltaic power stations and redistribute it to the grid at the end of the day or at night.
The company that won the tender and will manage the project is Akuo New Caledonia. It already operates three solar farms in the territory located in Focola, Ouaco and Boulouparis. The latter combines solar greenhouses and a storage plant. The energy is stored in a container.
Forty containers like this one will be needed to make up the future park.
The project "will make it possible to integrate into the New Caledonian grid the production of the large power plants that have been authorised, mainly for the metallurgy industry. When we have excess production, this battery will absorb it and redistribute it to the grid at the end of the day or at night." This will "increase the proportion of renewable energy in the grid throughout the day".
SOURCE: franceinfo
