Inertia-ready: RWE’s Innovative Battery Energy Storage System in Moerdijk Begins Commercial Operation
RWE has launched its first inertia-ready battery energy storage system (BESS) at its power plant in Moerdijk, Netherlands. This facility is the first of its kind in the Central European grid, featuring an installed capacity of 7.5 megawatts (MW) and a storage capacity of 11 megawatt hours (MWh).
Equipped with advanced control technology and inverters capable of grid-forming functionality, the system can supply or absorb power within milliseconds, playing a vital role in stabilizing the power grid through a service known as inertia. As renewable energy sources become more prevalent, maintaining grid stability has become increasingly challenging. Inertia provides the fastest available balancing energy in the power grid, a service that has traditionally been supplied by the rotating masses of turbines in conventional power plants.
Nikolaus Valerius, CEO of RWE Generation SE, commented, “Our newest plant in Moerdijk demonstrates that ultra-fast battery energy storage systems can deliver the grid-serving inertia that was once solely provided by conventional power plants. With the gradual phase-out of fossil fuel-fired large power plants, the demand for such systems to stabilize the grid will only increase.”
The Moerdijk BESS was developed as part of the OranjeWind project, a collaborative offshore wind initiative being undertaken by RWE and its partner TotalEnergies off the Dutch coast. Utilizing advanced lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) technology alongside super-fast inverters, this facility serves as a model for RWE’s plans to significantly expand its BESS capabilities on a global scale.
In addition to commencing commercial operations, the Moerdijk facility will enter a two-year pilot phase aimed at establishing standards for future inertia-capable BESS. RWE will collaborate with transmission system operator TenneT to develop the technical requirements and grid compliance procedures necessary for the grid-forming capabilities of this plant.
As a key player in the energy transition, RWE is actively developing, building, and operating battery storage systems across the US, Europe, and Australia. Currently, the company manages battery storage systems with a total capacity of approximately 1,200 megawatts (MW).
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