Saft to supply Battery Energy Storage System for Saskatchewan wind farm

Advanced batteries manufacturer Saft will design, produce and install a Battery Energy Storage System (ESS) at the High Wind and Storage Project near Regina in Saskatchewan.

Cowessess First Nation (CFN), a community group in Saskatchewan, has chosen Saft to supply the technology, including two Intensium Max 20E lithium-ion battery containers to harness wind power.

Each ESS comprises a 400KW Power Conditioning System designed for an 800KW utility scale wind turbine.

The grid-connected Li-ion ESS, with a 150 year life, enables higher reliability and reduced volatility by 70%, thereby optimizing renewable wind power performance.

Saft’s system can harness intermittent wind power and offer consistent output for both on-grid and off-grid applications.

The battery also facilitates lower electrical rates as it can be charged during offpeak periods and dispatched when required.

Saft Jacksonville energy storage systems business development manager Jim McDowall stated, “This project builds on Saft’s earlier successes integrating energy storage batteries with wind generation and will demonstrate the benefits of lithium-ion energy storage in enhancing the value of wind energy.”

The systems are expected to commence operation in early 2013.