Axpo to market battery storage for Rhiienergie

23.03.21 - Axpo continues to grow its battery storage business and will take over the management and marketing of a battery storage facility in Domat/Ems, Switzerland. Acting on behalf of energy supplier Rhiienergie AG, Axpo will provide grid stabilisation and peak shaving on the ancillary services market.

The Axpo Group has been active for some time in the construction, operation, management and marketing of large-scale batteries. Internationally, the company has marketed flexibility options for a 30-MW storage system in Yllikkälä, Finland since 2020. In Switzerland, Axpo developed a battery storage facility with an output of 2 MW in Rapperswil-Jona in 2019, followed in late 2020 by the announcement that a 6.25-MW storage facility would be constructed at CKW’s headquarters in Rathausen/Lucerne. Most recently, in February this year, Axpo commissioned Switzerland’s largest indoor battery storage system in Arbon. In marketing battery capacities, Axpo draws on its extensive international energy trading experience, enabling optimal use of storage facilities on the ancillary services markets, as well as the company’s day-ahead and intraday trading know-how. Today, the company markets almost 100 MW of battery storage capacity in Europe and intends to continue this growth.

In the near future, another facility in Switzerland will be managed and marketed by Axpo. As soon as Swissgrid pre-qualification is completed, Axpo will offer the capacities of a newly built 1.25-MW storage facility on the ancillary services market on behalf of Rhiienergie AG. Owing to its very short response times, the plant in the Canton of Grisons is ideally suited to offer primary and secondary control energy to stabilise and support the power grid.

The battery storage facility located on the site of the Vial substation in Domat/Ems will also be used for peak shaving. The reduction and control of peak loads frees up the distribution grid for more efficient use, using battery storage where necessary.

Frank Amend, Head of Batteries & Hybrid Systems at Axpo, comments: "In view of the expansion of volatile renewable energies, battery storage systems are becoming increasingly important in guaranteeing security of supply during the transition to a CO2-free energy world. Our goal is to continue expanding activities in this business field, not only in Switzerland, but also on a pan-European basis, and to position Axpo among the leading companies in this area."

Axpo’s renewables division recently announced the establishment of two new departments for its batteries and hydrogen businesses, and will be strengthening the respective teams in the coming months.