Rolls-Royce Supplies Large-Scale Battery Storage For Grid Stabilization And Electricity Trading To Encavis
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Rolls-Royce.
These two bullet points, act as sub-headings.
- mtu EnergyPack system with 24 megawatt hours to balance out volatile power generation from renewable energies and increase security of supply
- Commissioning of the storage system based on lithium-ion technology in the first quarter of 2025
This paragraph outlines the project.
Rolls-Royce is supplying an mtu battery energy storage system with an output of 12 megawatts and a storage capacity of 24 megawatt hours to Encavis AG. The battery system will support the Hamburg-based electricity producer in trading the electrical energy generated by German wind and solar parks by, among other things, balancing out fluctuations in generation and increasing security of supply. Rolls-Royce will supply and install the energy storage system on a turnkey basis. It is expected to go into operation in the first quarter of 2025.
Note.
- The deal includes construction, installation and ten years of maintenance.
- The battery can supply full power for two hours.
- The battery is supporting renewables.
- In Would You Buy A Battery Energy Storage System From Rolls-Royce?, I looked at a mtuEnergyPack in detail.
- The respective capacity value and efficiency of the plant are guaranteed over the entire term.
This looks to be a very professional deal.
Conclusion
This is the second press release on the corporate web site after Rolls-Royce Supplies mtu Large-Scale Battery Storage To Secure The Latvian National Grid, that was published a month ago, that talks about the mtuEnergyPack.
Could it be that Rolls-Royce are looking for a share of the UK market for grid batteries?
Rolls-Royce Supplies mtu Large-Scale Battery Storage To Secure The Latvian National Grid
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Rolls-Royce.
These four bullet points, act as sub-headings.
- Latvia synchronizes its electricity grid with the European grid in 2025
- Large-scale battery storage system from Rolls-Royce ensures stability of the power grid in Latvia
- Transmission system operator AST orders 160MWh mtu EnergyPack
- Facility will be one of the largest battery storage systems in the EU
This is the first paragraph.
Rolls-Royce has received an order from the Latvian transmission system operator Augstsprieguma tikls (AST) to supply an mtu large-scale battery storage system to secure the Latvian power grid. In 2025, Latvia, together with the other Baltic states, will synchronize its energy supply system with the continental European power grid.
Note.
- This is a Rolls-Royce press release, not a Rolls-Royce mtu press release.
- Recently, Rolls-Royce mtu supplied the generators for Redditch power station, which I wrote about in Centrica Completes Work On 20MW Hydrogen-Ready Peaker In Redditch.
- In The Modern Way To Grow Tomatoes, I describe how a Rolls-Royce mtu Combined Heat and Power unit (CHP), is used in the growing of tomatoes.
Could it be that using the Rolls-Royce name prominently, makes sales easier?
What Will Be The Power Unit In LNER’s New CAF Tri-Mode Trains?
There is a short article in the January 2024 Edition of Modern Railways, that is entitled New LNER Fleet To Have Joint Line Capability.
This is said about the diesel engines in the new CAF tri-mode trains.
CAF will supply 10×10-car trains with overhead electric, battery and diesel capability, financed by Porterbrook. The inclusion of diesel engines as part of the winning bid, rather than a straightforward battery-electric unit, has surprised some observers, but LNER’s specification was that the fleet should have sufficient self-powered capability to cover the length of the joint line, which is approximately 90 miles. This is currently to be considered to be beyond the scope of battery-power alone, although as the technology evolves diesel engines could be replaced by batteries. The configuration of diesel engines and batteries within the sets has yet to be decided.
As the paragraph says that the diesel engines can be replaced by batteries and the trains are from CAF’s modular Civity family, it sounds like CAF are using a modular power system.
The CAF Class 195, 196 and 197 diesel multiple units, that are used in the UK, use mtu Railcar Power Packs, which are shown on this web page.
mtu are a Rolls-Royce subsidiary.
mtu also make a Hybrid Power Pack, which is shown on this web page.
This is the sub-title on the web page.
Individual hybrid drive with a modular design
Underneath is this sub-heading.
It takes revolutionary thinking to develop a smart rail drive system like the Hybrid PowerPack. Find out what makes mtu different, and why our Hybrid PowerPack brings added value to operators while benefiting passengers and the environment alike.
These paragraphs describe the mtu Hybrid PowerPack.
The Hybrid PowerPack was developed from the successful mtu underfloor drives: Tried and tested mtu PowerPacks were modified and equipped with additional components and functionalities in order to integrate hybrid technology. The mtu hybrid concept consists of a modular kit with a variety of drive elements. It satisfies all existing railway standards and can be arranged according to customer specifications.
Thanks to its compact design and the use of power-dense electrical machines, the Hybrid PowerPack can be easily integrated in the existing installation space under the floor, both in new rail vehicles or for repowering. mtu EnergyPacks – the energy storage – can be positioned at various places in the vehicle: on the roof or underfloor. The modular design creates great flexibility for operators who are planning new diesel hybrid vehicles or want to convert existing vehicles.
Based on specifications for the hybrid train and the profile of the planned routes, mtu can simulate the lifecycle costs (capital, maintenance and operating costs) of specific projects. This means that a variety of drive options can be defined even before the design stage. Together with you, we then determine an optimal concept based on your needs.
Note.
- mtu Hybrid PowerPacks can be used in new rail vehicles or for repowering.
- It looks to me, that the total of 161 of Class 195, 196 and 197 trains, that will soon be all in service in the UK may well have been designed to be converted to hybrid power using mtu Hybrid PowerPacks.
- In Would You Buy A Battery Energy Storage System From Rolls-Royce?, I talk about how mtu EnergyPacks are also used for battery storage.
- In fact, mtu EnergyPacks could be the secret ingredient to both systems.
This looks like a typical Rolls-Royce product, that pushes the design to the full.
I will be very surprised if LNER’s new CAF tri-mode trains are not powered by mtu Hybrid PowerPacks.
I have a few thoughts.
CAF Are Going For A Proven Solution
CAF are going for a proven power solution, that they will also need for 161 trains in the UK.
Integration of systems like these can be difficult but CAF are using another company to combine diesel, electric and battery power in an efficient way.
I also feel that mtu Hybrid PowerPacks have a big future and Rolls Royce mtu will do what it takes to make sure they dominate the market.
Decarbonising The Trains
I suspect given Rolls-Royce’s philosophy, that the diesel engines will run on sustainable fuels from delivery.
But as the extract from the Modern Railways article says, the space used by diesel engines can be used for batteries.
Follow The Money
Consider.
- Porterbrook and Rolls-Royce are both based in Derby.
- Porterbrook are a rolling stock leasing company, who own a lot of rolling stock, that could be converted to hybrid trains, using mtu Hybrid PowerPacks.
- Porterbrook are financing LNER’s new CAF tri-mode trains.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Porterbrook and Rolls-Royce have done a lot of due diligence on these trains.
Other Train Operators Will Follow
LNER’s new CAF tri-mode trains may be a bespoke design for LNER, but other train operators will need a similar train.
- CrossCountry need a replacement low-carbon fleet.
- ScotRail need a replacement fleet for their Inter7City services.
- Great Western Railway need a replacement fleet for their GWR Castles.
- Grand Central need a replacement low-carbon fleet.
- TransPennine Express need new trains.
- Open Access Operator Grand Union Trains will need trains.
I think CAF are gong to be busy.
Conclusion
The more I read about Rolls-Royce and its engineering, the more I’m impressed.
Would You Buy A Battery Energy Storage System From Rolls-Royce?
I don’t often click on adverts that appear in web pages.
But I had to click on one from Rolls-Royce mtu, which advertised Battery Energy Storage Systems.
I wonder what the Honourable Charles Rolls would have thought of adverts on the Internet for the company he jointly founded?
I suspect he would have liked the idea, as Rolls was very much a promoter of motoring and aviation and opened one of the first car dealerships in the UK, according to his Wikipedia entry.
The Wikipedia entry for his business partner; Sir Henry Royce starts with this sentence.
Sir Frederick Henry Royce, 1st Baronet, OBE (27 March 1863 – 22 April 1933) was an English engineer famous for his designs of car and aeroplane engines with a reputation for reliability and longevity.
He is also described as a perfectionist.
This sentence from the Wikipedia entry, describes how he started the design of the legendary “R” engine.
In October 1928, he began design of the “R” engine while walking with some of his leading engineers on the beach at West Wittering, sketching ideas in the sand. Less than a year later, the “R” engine, designed in his studio in the village, set a new world air speed record of 357.7 miles per hour and won the Schneider Trophy of 1929.
Later with help from the maddest person my father ever met (his words, not mine!) ; Lady Houston, the Supermarine S.6B won the trophy in 1931 and then broke the world speed record at over 400 mph. Not bad for a seaplane. Take the floats off an S.6B and you almost have a Spitfire.
The Wikipedia entry also describes how the “R” engine was developed into what many engineers believe was the finest internal combustion engine of all time; the Rolls-Royce Merlin.
Following the success of the “R” engine, it was clear that they had an engine that would be of use to the Royal Air Force. As no Government assistance was forthcoming at first, in the national interest they went ahead with development of what was called the “PV-12” engine (standing for Private Venture, 12-cylinder). The idea was to produce an engine of about the same performance as the “R”, albeit with a much longer life. Rolls-Royce launched the PV-12 in October 1933 and the engine completed its first test in 1934, the year after Royce died. The PV-12 became the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine.
Where would we have been in the Battle of Britain without the Merlin engine?
Since 1969, the engineers at Rolls-Royce have followed Sir Henry’s example of perfection and developed the revolutionary RB-211 into the modern day Trent, which is now about to take a big leap into a low-carbon future with the UltraFan.
If the quality of Rolls-Royce mtu’s Battery Energy Storage System matches the levels of perfection Rolls-Royce achieved with the Merlin and the Trent, then I suspect that Sir Henry would have given his approval.
This picture is shown on the web page for the Battery Energy Storage System.
These two paragraphs introduce, what Rolls-Royce mtu are calling the mtuEnergyPack.
In today’s world of economic growth and increasing populations, the demand for electricity is soaring. Governments and industries globally shift to distributed renewable energy, challenging centralized grids. To adapt to this changing energy landscape, the mtuEnergyPack offers an ideal solution.
It integrates renewable sources like solar and wind power, paving the way for future-ready sustainable power systems. The mtu EnergyPack is a scalable, all-in-one solution for autonomous off-grid facilities. It ensures reliable power through peak shaving, load-shifting, and grid stabilization, making it suitable for various applications.
These are my thoughts.
What Is The Output And The Storage Capacity?
This paragraph on this page gives this answer.
It efficiently stores electricity from distributed sources and delivers on demand. The mtu EnergyPack is available in different sizes: The QS and the QL, ranging from 200 kVA to 2,000 kVA, and from 312 kWh to 2,084 kWh, and the QG for grid scale storage needs, ranging from 4,400 kVA and 4,470 kWh to virtually any size.
It seems that you specify your requirements and Rolls-Royce mtu should be able to satisfy it.
What Devices Can Be Connected?
This paragraph on this page gives this answer.
The mtu EnergyPack serves as a key component in enhancing the reliability and profitability of microgrids and energy systems. It stores electricity generated by distributed power sources, including gensets, wind turbines, or solar panels, and delivers it when needed.
In the 1970s, when I was working at ICI, others in the section were working on a system called MEDIA, where every sensor on a chemical plant was connected to the central computer, through its own analog-to-digital computer. It would now be called plug-and-play by some.
I believe that Rolls-Royce mtu are using similar ideas to connect equipment to the control computer.
These are my thoughts about connecting various equipment.
- Hydrogen-powered generators and electrolysers as Rolls-Royce mtu are using at Duisburg, which I wrote about in Rolls-Royce Makes Duisburg Container Terminal Climate Neutral With MTU Hydrogen Technology.
- Could Rolls-Royce’s beer keg-sized 2.5 MW electrical generator based on a Super Hercules engine, be connected?
- Could a Rolls-Royce Trent be connected?
- Could one of Rolls-Royce’s small modular nuclear reactors be connected?
- In Rolls-Royce To Play Key Role In US Department Of Defense Nuclear Microreactor Program, I talk about developing a 1-5 MW nuclear reactor for US Department of Defense. Could these be connected?
I don’t see why every device can’t work to the same protocol.
What Is The Power Density Like?
This paragraph on this page gives this answer.
The mtu EnergyPack’s compact battery system designs suit projects with limited space and logistical restrictions.
In ‘Spirit of Innovation’ Stakes Claim To Be The World’s Fastest All-Electric Vehicle, I talked about Rolls-Royce’s record-breaking electric plane called Spirit of Innovation.
Has what has been learned about energy storage in the confined spaces of an aeroplane been applied to a Battery Energy Storage System?
What Do Rolls-Royce mtu Consider To Be Important Features?
On this page, they list these features.
- Power Density
- Digitally Connected
- Multilevel Safety
- Black Start Capability
- Scalability
- Ultra-Fast Response
- Flexible Use
- Plug-And-Play Installation
The design seems to have everything covered.
Can Similar Systems Be Designed By Others?
I would expect that similar systems can be designed, as technology like batteries is available to all and the operation is only as good as the software controlling the various components of the system.
But similar systems will be without the famous Rolls-Royce logo.
Could One Of These Systems Decarbonise A Village?
I once lived in a village with about fifty houses and perhaps a hundred inhabitants.
- There was an old World War Two airfield, that could probably accommodate a small wind farm of perhaps 20 MW.
- There were a couple of barns and large sheds, that could have solar panels similar to those I described in Bedford Depot’s Massive Solar Roof Helps Thameslink On Way To Net Zero.
I suspect an mtuEnergyPack could control all these inputs and provide the village with the following.
- Enough electricity to power all the needs of the inhabitants, businesses and their vehicles.
- If an electrolyser were to be provided, it could probably produce enough hydrogen to power every boiler and hydrogen-powered vehicle.
Note.
- Farmers would like the local availability of hydrogen, as it will be ideal for tractors and agricultural machinery.
- I actually believe that if a village had a reliable and affordable hydrogen supply, that a large proportion of the inhabitants would switch to hydrogen-powered vehicles.
There would still be the National Grid there for backup.
Conclusion
If I needed an mtuEnergyPack, I’d certainly give one a close look.
The Anonymous Widower 