Grids

Plant will store 1,000 MW of renewables in Mexico

Mexico launched a project worth $4 billion for the development of a 1.000 MW electricity storage system. The latter was announced by president Felipe Calderón during the climate conference in Cancún.

The project, which aims at improving the integration of renewable energy, was developed by Rubenius, a company with offices in the United Arab Emirates that specializes in alternative energy and smart grid, which for this purpose purchased 140 hectares of land in Baja California, near the north-west border with the United States.

The plant, which consists of NaS (sodio e zolfo fusi) batteries, will take 6 years to be built and will be one of the largest single storage systems in the world. "Energy storage is the intelligent way to make renewable energy carbon free. Currently renewables require some sort of back up power: for example when the wind stops blowing, the most common solution today is fossil fuel based back up systems. Energy storage can end this quandary," stated President Calderón.

The site was chosen because it is located in a cross-border science park. Indeed, the plant will serve both Mexico and the United States, which in this same area is developing large-scale solar projects. This is why Rubenius is planning to build a factory in Mexico, while a centre for research and development will be developed in San Diego, USA.

www.rubenius.com

www.enelgreenpower.com