Younicos has signed an agreement with TerraForm Power to install and commission a 10 MW battery-based energy storage system upgrade at the site of the 30 MW Kaheawa wind farm, one of the largest wind projects on the island of Hawaii.

According to Younicos, the batteries will be used primarily to provide ramping services to smooth out wind variability. The project is expected to be completed in the second half of 2018.

The agreement calls for Younicos to replace existing lead-acid batteries with advanced Samsung SDI lithium-ion batteries, which will be managed by Y.Q, Younicos’ proprietary control software. Younicos says lithium-ion technology will provide a significantly higher usable energy capacity potential, as well as increase the operational lifetime of the system. It will also enable fully automated operation – with no manual battery balancing or state-of-charge management needed.

“We’re pleased to be working with TerraForm to implement this significant upgrade of their energy storage system,” states Jayesh Goyal, managing director of Younicos. “The combination of wind plus storage adds stability while also making new revenue streams for renewables possible through services such as peak shifting or arbitrage. It’s a win-win for both TerraForm and the environment.”