Delimara power plant to get 60MWh battery energy system back-up

Delimara power station will host a battery energy storage system (BESS) that will store power harvested from solar and wind farms, to be released during peak demand periods.

The project is proposed by the government company Interconnect Malta for a 4,900sq.m site at the Delimara plant.

The BESS will provide a reliable energy source of up to 60MWh in the event of power outages, as well as mitigate the grid’s variability and intermittency issues caused by renewable energy sources, especially during periods of fluctuating cloud cover or wind patterns.

This initiative will also stabilise the output from the LNG plants, reducing the variance between daytime and evening energy generation.

The BESS can also provide energy that can restart the power station and grid in case of a complete shutdown, a task currently accomplished by burning gasoil, which emits carbon dioxide. By stabilising voltage output, it can act as a back-up when the island becomes disconnected from the European grid due to maintenance or faults.

The proposed location will be to the southeast of the Electrogas plant, adjacent to the mooring quay for LNG tankers.

The BESS will complement a second Malta-Sicily interconnector project, with the specific battery type and converter technology yet to be determined.

Interconnect Malta said it had thoroughly assessed alternative locations across the Maltese islands but said Delimara was the most suitable due to its ample space to accommodate the necessary components of such a facility. Furthermore, Enemalta already has ownership of the site, and its location in Delimara aligns with its dedicated energy-related use.

The Environment and Resources Authority has determined that the proposal is unlikely to have a significant environmental impact, which means no environmental impact assessment will be required.