Page 22 - Energize June 2022

NEWS

ESS to smooth grid integration for

Côte d’Ivoire’s first solar plant

aft, a subsidiary of TotalEnergies, has to ensuring reliability and long-life in ambient temperatures that can reach 37°C, the battery
won a major contract from Eiffage containers are designed to resist hot and dusty winds.
SEnergie Systèmes to deliver a 10 MW The ESS will rapidly charge or discharge its lithium-ion batteries to accommodate the
energy storage system (ESS) that will ensure intermittent output from the solar power plant. It then provides a smooth generation profile,
smooth grid integration for the Boundiali equivalent to the plant’s output averaged over 30 minutes, that can be easily accepted by the
solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant. The local grid. This ensures most effective use of valuable decarbonized electricity. CI Energies
37,5 MW plant, owned and operated by CI- is also planning to test the ESS in other network support options such as ramp rate control,
Energies (Côte d’Ivoire Energies), will be the frequency support, reactive power support and black start. This will provide useful data on the
first large-scale solar project in Côte d’Ivoire. ageing of the battery in different service stacking scenarios.
The primary role of the ESS will be The Saft ESS is scheduled for commissioning at the Boundiali site in September 2022.
capacity firming and smoothing of the solar
plant’s inherently intermittent output to About Saft
ensure a predictable and reliable feed into Saft specializes in advanced technology battery solutions for industry, from design and
the local grid. The fully integrated lithium- development to production, customization and service provision. For more than 100 years,
ion ESS will comprise six Saft Intensium Max Saft’s longer-lasting batteries and systems have provided critical safety applications, back-up
High Energy containers, providing a total of power and propulsion for our customers. Our innovative, safe and reliable technology delivers
13,8 MWh energy storage, together with high performance on land, at sea, in the air and in space. Saft is powering industry and smarter
power conversion and medium voltage cities, while providing critical back-up functionality in remote and harsh environments from the
power station systems. Arctic Circle to the Sahara Desert.
“As the main contractor for the Boundiali Saft is a wholly owned subsidiary of TotalEnergies, a broad energy company that produces
project, it was vital to find an ESS partner and markets energies on a global scale: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases,
that could not only meet the technical renewables and electricity.
requirements, but would also ensure #WeEnergizeTheWorld
that the system would operate reliably
throughout a 10-year life,” said Ludovic Contact Antoine Frenoy, Saft, antoine.frenoy@saftbatteries.com,
Bavière of Eiffage Energie Systems. “The https://www.saftbatteries.com
quality of our discussions and a previous
experience reassured us of Saft’s ability to
carry out this strategic project for our client,
CI-Energies”.
Côte d’Ivoire had an installed electricity
production capacity of 2229 MW in 2019
and is expected to double its production
by 2030. Electricity supply is currently
largely provided by thermal energy and
hydroelectric dams. The government aims
to make the country the energy hub of West
Africa by 2030 with an energy mix of 42%
renewables.
Boundiali, a city of around 40 000 in the
north of Côte d’Ivoire, will soon be home to
the country’s first solar power plant. It will
produce clean electricity for around 30 000
households, avoid the emission of 27 000
tonnes of CO 2, and will help create 300 jobs
in the region.
The area is classified as a semi-arid zone
with a hot and very dry climate. In addition

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