Energy storage solution to balance the grid for the Scottish Shetland Islands

A reliable electricity supply is essential to the local community living on the Shetland Islands, a subarctic archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland. The Lerwick Power Station is the main generator for the grid, with an obligation to deliver uninterrupted power to the island community.

The introduction of energy storage will enhance the islands’ security of supply and reduce operating hours on the diesel generators. Wärtsilä’s 8 MW / 6 MWh energy storage system and GEMS Digital Energy Platform are enabling an increased integration of existing renewable power into the power system, which will help lower CO₂ emissions. A combination of flexibility solutions is setting the Scottish archipelago on a path towards a cleaner energy system.

Who	SSEN
What	8 MW / 6 MWh energy storage system
Where	Shetland Islands, Scotland
How	EPC (Engineering, procurement & construction)

This is what we are achieving

8 MW

and 6 MWh of energy storage capacity

1000

tonnes of fuel savings

3400

tonnes of CO₂ reductions

The Wärtsilä energy storage system will enhance the islands' security of supply, while at the same time lowering our carbon footprint.
Darren Hitchin Embedded Generation Manager, Lerwick Power Station

How we did it

Challenge

Ensure a balanced grid for the secure supply of (reserve) power.
Upgrade existing infrastructure.
Integrate renewables to support a reliable islanded grid.

Solution

Reduce the operating hours on current diesel generators and displace spinning power generation.
Modernise the grid by providing extra energy supply via the storage solution that can instantly deliver power if there are power supply interruptions.
Integrate and optimise penetration of wind turbine-generated electricity into the grid with the GEMS Digital Energy Platform.

Benefit

Enhanced security of power supply.
Improved utilisation of existing wind power into the system.
Further energy infrastructure stability, and reduced CO₂ emissions and fuel costs.

Questions? Contact us

The main details

Customer	Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks Distribution (SSEN)
Site size	8 MW / 6 MWh
Site locations	Shetland Islands, UK
Applications	Island Grid+, Grid reliability, Renewables integration
Scope	Engineering, procurement and construction (EPC)
Delivery	2021
Lifecycle solution	10-year service agreement