Hokkaido Electric Power Network Project for Wind Firm Integration
Supporting Wind Energy Integration through Reliable Energy Storage Technology
Building on the success of the earlier demonstration started in 2015, Sumitomo Electric deployed a larger 51MWh Vanadium Redox Flow Battery system at the Minami-Hayakita Substation, playing a crucial role in Hokkaido Electric Power Network's initiative to integrate 162MW of new wind power capacity into the grid.
Overview
The Hokkaido Electric Power Network (HEPCO) has been progressively integrating renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, into its grid. However, due to the limited capacity of Hokkaido's power grids, the region faced challenges in controlling the variable output of renewable generation. To address this issue, HEPCO introduced a large-scale storage battery system at the Minami-Hayakita Substation. This energy storage system, utilizing Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB) technology, was designed to stabilize the grid and smooth fluctuations in power generation.
The VRFB system, with a capacity of 17 MW × 3 hours (51 MWh), was commissioned in April 2022 and represents one of the largest installations of its kind globally. The project is notable for its approach, where grid-side storage batteries are used to manage output variations rather than requiring each individual wind farm to install its own storage system. This centralization of storage batteries at the grid level offers significant economic benefits by reducing the number of batteries required across the grid, lowering operational costs, and improving overall grid management efficiency.
The project also highlights HEPCO's strategy to phase in renewable energy capacity while addressing the grid stability challenges inherent in the intermittent nature of wind and solar generation. By integrating large storage batteries, HEPCO has enhanced its ability to manage these fluctuations, thus contributing to the region’s broader renewable energy goals.
Key Highlights
System Specifications
- Capacity: 51MWh (17MW x 3h)
- Location: Minami-Hayakita Substation, Hokkaido, Japan
- Operation Start: April 2022
Project Scope:
Integration of 162MW of wind power across 15 wind farms in Hokkaido, supported by a large-scale VRFB energy storage system for grid stabilization.
Application:
- Frequency regulation
- Smoothing fluctuations in renewable energy generation
- Grid-side storage
Operational Term:
21 years of operation to ensure ongoing stability and support for the integration of renewable energy into the grid.
This case study highlights Sumitomo Electric's leadership in developing, deploying, and operating large-scale Vanadium Redox Flow Battery systems for grid applications. The projects demonstrate the technology's effectiveness in supporting renewable energy integration, enhancing grid stability, and providing long-duration energy storage solutions, particularly in challenging environmental conditions like those found in Hokkaido.
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