Alstom-led tie-up gets EUR-13m grant to facilitate grid integration of renewables

Dec 12, 2012 - A consortium led by Alstom SA (EPA:ALO) has received EUR 13.3 million (USD 17.3m) in European funding for the development of a cost-effective grid integration solution for renewable energy, the French heavy engineering firm said today.

The consortium, called eStorage, also includes Belgian transmission system operator Elia System Operator (EBR:ELI), French power producer EDF (EPA:EDF), Imperial College, Dutch engineering consultancy DNV Kema and French management consultancy Algoe.

As a major part of the project, EDF's Le Cheylas fixed-speed Pumped Storage hydroelectric Plant (PSP) will be upgraded to a variable-speed PSP, resulting in the provision of 70 MW of additional night time regulation capability enabling several hundred megawatts of intermittent renewable generation to be integrated. According to Alstom's press release, Europe can ensure 10 GW of additional regulation capability by upgrading most of the existing PSPs to variable speed. Virtually all existing PSPs in Europe are fixed speed units now, the company noted.

As a whole, the funds from the European Commission will support the consortium's efforts aimed at developing solutions for flexible, reliable, GWh-scale energy storage to be widely deployed across Europe. The tie-up will also work to improve grid management systems for a big share of intermittent renewable power generation, such as wind, to be integrated. Solutions for coupling storage plants' dispatch with renewable generation through advanced energy and market management systems will also be developed by the consortium.

(EUR 1.0 = USD 1.300)

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