Ingrid Capacity and BW ESS continue large-scale expansion of energy storage in Sweden

The energy storages are being built in Falköping (16 MW), Karlskrona (16 MW), Katrineholm (20 MW), Mjölby (8 MW), Sandviken (20 MW), Vaggeryd (11 MW), Värnamo (20 MW) and Västerås (11 MW). A storage with a power of 20 MW correlates to what a Swedish town with 40,000 inhabitants on average consumes during peak hours.

In September, Ingrid Capacity and BW ESS announced the start of six constructions that will contribute to a total output of 89 MW.

"This second collaboration with Ingrid Capacity represents a substantial expansion of our energy storage asset base in Sweden, in a move that solidifies our dedication to supporting Swedish grid reliability. It is a decisive step forward in accelerating the country’s transition towards clean energy, and a testament to the high quality of the Ingrid Capacity team,” shared Erik Strømsø, CEO of BW ESS.

URGENT NEED TO STRENGTHEN SWEDEN’S GRID CAPACITY

Several recent surveys and opinion pieces have shown that Swedish industry and society see an urgent need to rapidly strengthen grid capacity. The energy storage system is charged when demand for electricity is low, and feed back into the system when demand is high. It increases the utilization rate of the existing system and reduces costs for new infrastructure. Therefore, energy storage will make the electricity system more flexible, resilient and cost-efficient, and is a prerequisite for the green transition. With lead times of 1-2 years from project start to finalization, energy storage is also a fast way to strengthen the system.

“Our historic expansion already fundamentally changes the Swedish energy system, contributing to much needed stability, resilience, and cost-efficiency. In parallel, Ingrid Capacity is already having further concrete plans in Sweden, while looking at important opportunities in other European markets. Energy storage is crucial to solve electrification, and electrification is crucial to solve the climate challenge and secure welfare,” said Karin Lindberg Salevid, Chief Operations Officer of Ingrid Capacity.

ENERGY STORAGE CREATES GREAT SAVINGS FOR SOCIETY

As a first step, the investment will lower prices in the balancing market. In the long term, the facilities can also be used to reduce the need for investments in cables and overhead lines, by cutting consumption peaks locally and regionally.

In addition, the energy storages create a buffer against extreme prices on the spot market. Ingrid Capacity’s expansion is thereby estimated to mean reduced operating costs of several billion SEK annually for Svenska kraftnät, Sweden’s transmission system operator. At the same time they contribute to lowering the end users’ electricity costs.

The investment is subject to regulatory approvals, which are expected to be obtained during the coming months.