GridBeyond has disclosed its plan to supply battery energy storage systems (BESS) to two data centers in Ireland owned by Keppel DC REIT, a company listed in Singapore. The data centers, named Keppel DC Dublin 1 and 2, are situated at City West and Ballycoolin.
The initiative involves setting up and overseeing two 2MW/2.2MWh BESS units at the Citywest site and a 4MW/6.1MWh BESS unit at the Ballycoolin site. GridBeyond will link these batteries to its AI-driven energy technology platform called GridBeyond Point.
These batteries are designed to offer flexible capacity to the power system, aiding in the integration of renewable energy sources and supporting the grid during periods of strain. They are expected to contribute 8MW of flexible capacity to the grid in anticipation of the winter peak demand period.
Denver Blemings, the regional director for Ireland at GridBeyond, remarked, “This project highlights the increasing role that data centers can play in the energy transition. It’s encouraging to witness companies like Keppel DC REIT utilizing demand response programs to assist the grid and incorporate renewable energies into their operations.”
Gary Watson, the country manager (Ireland) of Keppel DC REIT, added, “By partnering with GridBeyond, Keppel DC REIT advances its progress towards achieving our 2030 net zero targets. We will also explore additional avenues, such as deploying on-site solar, to further our efforts in decarbonizing our operations.”
Ireland’s Energy Landscape
Ireland is projected to experience the highest growth rate in electricity demand and consumption across Europe, averaging an annual increase of nearly 7%. Data centers are expected to significantly contribute to this growth; it’s estimated that Irish data centers consumed approximately 5.3TWh of electricity in 2022, which accounts for roughly 17% of the country’s total electricity demand.
In April of this year, ESB Networks announced that Ireland’s electricity grid achieved 1GW of energy storage capacity from various BESS assets. By the end of March, Gore Street Energy Storage Fund had secured an additional 385MW of energy storage based in Ireland, out of which 130MW is already operational. This highlights Ireland as a consistently profitable market for energy storage companies.