The new 30 MW energy storage plant – with a storage capacity of 30 MWh – is located in Yllikkälä, close to the city of Lappeenranta in Southeast Finland.
Swedish flexible assets developer and optimizer Ingrid Capacity has joined hands with SEB Nordic Energy's portfolio company Locus Energy to develop what is claimed to be Finland's largest and one of the Nordics' largest battery energy storage systems (BESS). The 70 MW/140 MWh BESS project will be located in Nivala, northern Finland.
After the start of commercial operations in 2026, the project will contribute an important balancing function to the Finnish grid, supporting the Finnish renewable energy expansion. The groundbreaking ceremony took place in the afternoon on Monday the 26th of May on the site near Nivala where the battery energy storage system will be built.
It is a very good complement to our renewable project developments in Finland,” says Prot. Antero Reilander comments that while there have been other battery storage projects in Finland, this one is the biggest – by far. Despite the size of the undertaking, the project has proceeded very smoothly indeed.
Currently, utility-scale energy storage technologies that have been commissioned in Finland are limited to BESS (lithium-ion batteries) and TES, mainly TTES and Cavern Thermal Energy Storages (CTES) connected to DH systems.
What is the future of energy storage in Finland?
Reserve markets are currently driving the demand for energy storage systems. Legislative changes have improved prospects for some energy storages. Mainly battery storage and thermal energy storages have been deployed so far. The share of renewable energy sources is growing rapidly in Finland.
“Yllikkälä is a key project for our company, being the largest of its kind for us in Europe. It is a very good complement to our renewable project developments in Finland,” says Prot. Antero Reilander comments that while there have been other battery storage projects in Finland, this one is the biggest – by far.