President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev participated in the opening of the “Absheron” Battery Energy Storage Center of “AzerEnergy” Open Joint Stock Company (OJSC) on March 25.
Modern.az reports that Baba Rzayev, Chairman of the Management Board of “AzerEnergy” OJSC, informed the head of our state about the “Absheron” Battery Energy Storage Center.
It should be noted that Azerbaijan is entering a new stage of development in the energy sector. In accordance with the instruction of President Ilham Aliyev, large energy storage centers with a total capacity of 250 MW and an energy capacity of 500 MWh have been established by “AzerEnergy” OJSC, entirely with domestic financial resources, in the territories of two main substations - the 500 kV “Absheron” and 220 kV “Aghdash” substations. The establishment of such centers on this scale is a first not only in Azerbaijan but also in the CIS region as a whole.
Within the framework of the project, 50 accumulator batteries and 13 inverter containers have been installed in the territory of the “Absheron” Battery Energy Storage Center. Research conducted by international consulting companies (TETRA Tech of the USA and EPRA of Turkey) has shown the necessity of establishing such battery systems for the safe integration of approximately 1850 MW of renewable energy sources into Azerbaijan's energy system.
The Battery Energy Storage Center stands out for its flexibility. Thus, they can be fully charged or discharged within 2 hours. Surplus energy, including energy produced during sunny hours, is stored here and automatically fed into the grid during peak hours – when energy demand increases. In short, these systems accumulate and store energy, directing it for use when needed.
The implementation of such a Center offers numerous advantages to the energy grid. For example, the energy system is monitored in real-time with the SCADA system, stability in the grid, including frequency and voltage, is maintained, sudden energy shortages are automatically regulated, the impact of accidents is reduced, and the system becomes more reliable. Furthermore, electricity demand during peak hours is met more easily, the impact of interruptions in solar and wind energy is reduced, and the restoration of the energy system from scratch becomes possible. At the same time, load changes during sunset hours are managed more easily.
In short, the establishment of the Battery Energy Storage Center makes Azerbaijan's energy system more modern, flexible, and sustainable. Especially in an era of increasing solar and wind energy, such storage systems are considered a key part of the future energy model.
At the “Absheron” Battery Energy Storage Center, a special center has been established to manage these systems.
A modern administrative building has been constructed in the area, and extensive landscaping and greening works have been carried out.
The head of our state was also informed about the integration of renewable energy sources into the energy system and the digital transformation of the energy system.
It was stated that in the near future, large-scale renewable energy sources will be integrated into the energy system, and by 2028, more than 2100 MW of green energy will already be in the grid.
Considering all this, the main phase of work within the “AZURE” project, implemented to sustainably and safely integrate 2 GW of renewable energy sources being built in Azerbaijan into the energy system, to increase the share of green energy in the energy supply of Baku, including the Alat Free Economic Zone, and to transform the 500/330 kV “Navahi Green Energy” hub into one of the main hub substations by directly and fully connecting it with the country's energy system, has already been completed.
Within the framework of the project, 500 kV transmission lines have been laid to the “Navahi” substation from the “Absheron” substation at a distance of 65 kilometers, and 330 kV transmission lines from the “Banke” and “Bilasuvar” Solar Power Plants at a total distance of 181 kilometers. In the future, the laying of 500 kV transmission lines from Mingachevir to the “Navahi” substation over 235 kilometers, and 330 kV transmission lines from Gobu, Alat, and Gobustan over a total of 103 kilometers, is planned.
In the last 7 years, 4700 kilometers of fiber-optic cable infrastructure have been created, and a central SCADA system covering more than 550 energy facilities has been established.
Online diagnostic technologies (AGC, WAMS/WACS), artificial intelligence-based fault prediction, and diagnostic systems are being implemented in the energy system. A high-precision forecasting system is being developed for solar and wind power plants.
Within the internal structure of “AzerEnergy” OJSC, a Digital Management Department has been established for the purpose of fully automated management of the energy system.
Electricity consumption is projected to increase by approximately 17 percent by 2032. By that period, 8 GW of RES capacities will be created.
The export of green energy to European markets via the Black Sea cable, regional energy corridors, and other projects is a key objective. The Black Sea cable will have a transmission capacity of 1300 MW of green energy.
The head of our state pressed the button signaling the opening of the “Absheron” Battery Energy Storage Center.
