Enel Green Power is a key player in the growth of battery storage systems in Italy

There can be no real energy transition in Italy without electricity storage systems. And here Enel Green Power is also playing a leading role, particularly in battery energy storage systems (BESS), which are increasingly efficient and competitive, thanks to technological innovation.

 

The importance of BESS for Italy

Like all energy storage systems, BESS enable electricity to be stored so that it can later be fed into the Grid, when it is needed most. Furthermore, they have the advantage of a modular design, which means that, when space is available, additional batteries can be added to an existing system. Thanks to this great flexibility, BESS capacity can be varied according to market needs.

This characteristic makes these systems an even more helpful tool for ensuring the stability of the national Grid: by regulating the flow of electricity in the Grid, they can prevent mismatches between supply and demand, thereby minimizing the risks of supply disruptions.

In addition, BESS enable the deployment of nonprogrammable renewable sources, allowing more constant and continuous use of the energy they generate, thereby guaranteeing the stability, flexibility, and resilience of the power system. In practice, depending on need, they can be used either for short-term energy storage (i.e., controlling grid frequency and covering peak demand), or for longer term use (i.e., storing excess energy generated by renewables during the day and feeding it back into the Grid at night).

Storage systems can therefore maximize clean electricity generation and are indispensable for achieving decarbonization goals, thus reducing reliance on fossil fuels and contributing to the country's energy sustainability.

 

Plants in operation and under construction

Enel Green Power currently has 26 BESS in Italy: 15 of them are in operation, with a total capacity of about 800 MW, while 11 are under construction, and their completion will bring the total capacity to about 1.8 GW.

In the last quarter alone, seven plants have become operative: Assemini, Carpi, La Spezia, Porto Corsini, Serre Tavazzano, Trino 2 and Udine Sud. In addition to these, seven others are in the testing phase, while all the others are at an advanced stage of construction.

Notable examples include Udine (in the Friuli region), with an installed capacity of more than 200 MW, and Trino (in the Piedmont region), with a hybrid system of BESS combined with a solar plant, as well as Trino 2, a second 208 MW BESS, which makes it a European reference model.

Of the BESS plants, 16 are located at our thermoelectric power plants and this has multiple advantages: we minimize the use of new land and reuse to the maximum all existing power plant infrastructure, thereby becoming a virtuous example of the circular economy. This solution then enables us to optimize connectivity by connecting to the Grid directly from the power plant.

 

New technologies, and a new (circular) approach

BESS systems are composed of electrochemical batteries, which come in various types.

The most widely used technology on an industrial scale involves lithium-ion batteries. This is because of the great advantages they offer in terms of efficiency, durability and – increasingly – cost-effectiveness. Their great reliability, which has been established by large-scale use, makes them the current reference standard.

Meanwhile, alternatives are also being studied: flow batteries (based on vanadium and iron chemistry), zinc, and evolutions of lithium batteries in which, however, the electrolyte is in a solid rather than a liquid state. For non-electrochemical technologies, on the other hand, solutions with thermal storage facilities or gravity-type storage are being studied.

Special attention – particularly in the case of BESS – is being paid to the end-of-life phase, with a view to circularity: in this way, the disposal of components and materials is transformed into an opportunity.

A cutting-edge project known as "Second Life" has been developed by the Enel Group in Melilla, a Spanish city on the North African coast. The project, which is in collaboration with Nissan, involves repurposing used batteries from electric cars for reuse in a stationary BESS to support the local Grid.

In Italy, on the other hand, our Group is carrying out similar research with MIDAC, a leading Italian company in the production of storage systems: the aim is to build a plant to recycle used lithium batteries so that they in turn become sources of raw materials that can be used in new batteries.

 

Creating shared value with the local area

Following the Enel Group's approach, we apply the Creating Shared Value (CSV) model at our worksites, whereby all our projects must lead to the creation of value for both the company and the local area.

The Trino power plant is a perfect example of this philosophy. Here we redeveloped the old Leri Cavour village, home of the Cavour family farm, in addition to equipping it with a modern artistic lighting system.

We also provided new lighting system for a sports field in Pietrafitta (in the Umbria region), while in Fusina (in the Veneto region) we plan to upgrade a green area, and we will do the same at a town square in Udine, which will also have a new bike path.

 

Policies and regulations on storage systems

Italian regulations for the installation of BESS are favorable, and the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security has also published a guide to facilitating the application process for permits.

Furthermore, through Capacity Market mechanisms, participating companies are financially incentivized, thanks to Terna, the Italian operator of the Electricity Transmission Grids. This is as long as they meet certain conditions and, of course, their commitments, for example, in terms of time.

 

The international scenario

If we take a broader view, it becomes clear that the energy transition is a global phenomenon. Our Group is present in 28 countries on five continents: it is therefore natural that in the case of BESS, our initiatives are also located in different geographical areas.

In South America, 3 plants in Chile (El Manzano, La Cabaña 1 y La Cabaña 2) have entered into operation, totaling about 135 MW and an additional project (Don Humberto, 67MW) will become operative by the end of the year. In Texas, USA, we will complete theAbles Springs project by the end of the year, with a capacity of 115 MW.

In the long term, we believe that increasing the deployment of BESS, both quantitatively and geographically, is an essential element in enabling a more sustainable energy system. And this is the path that we are following.