SNAP starts work on battery storage project

MANILA, Philippines — Renewable energy developer SN Aboitiz Power Group (SNAP) has commenced the groundworks for the 20-megawatt battery energy storage system (BESS) to ensure a reliable and sustainable supply of power.

SNAP, the joint venture between Norwegian firm Scatec and Aboitiz Power Corp., on Monday broke ground for the BESS project located at the Magat Hydroelectric Power Plant in Isabela.

The 20 MW BESS, which is expandable up to 24 MW, is primarily set for ancillary services that would help grid operators maintain a reliable electricity system.

Ancillary services maintain the proper flow and direction of electricity, address imbalances between supply and demand, and help the system recover after a power system event.

The BESS project aims to balance the grid’s reliability, enable energy storing for use at a later time, strengthen SNAP Magat’s operations, and support a low carbon environment.

“Battery solutions are perfect for providing ancillary services, which are important in stabilizing the grid and facilitates the entry of more RE energy,” SNAP Group president and CEO Joseph Yu said.

As construction starts, the project’s targeted commercial operation is set for the first quarter of 2024.

AboitizPower president and CEO Emmanuel Rubio, for his part, said the project is a key step toward the company’s renewable energy aspiration, highlighting the many opportunities in the renewable energy space from which the Philippines could benefit.

In his message, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Energy, said technologies like BESS complement the country’s ambition toward a renewable energy-powered future.

“This allows us to address problems we could not solve before. It provides reliable emergency power and can be used to boost SNAP’s ancillary services in case power supply falls short,” he said.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said the BESS shows how firms can maximize the use of resources efficiently and help energy security and reliability of the country.

“We need to make sure that other sources are given opportunities. We are experiencing the problem and we are seeing vulnerability because we are not energy-secured,” Cusi said.

About 50 percent of the country’s energy needs are still being imported, such as coal and oil.

Cusi said there is a need to bring it down and this can be done by developing renewable energy and indinegous sources.

As of now, 29 percent of the country’s current energy mix comes from renewables and the Department of Energy plans to bring it up to 35 percent by 2030 or to 50 percent by 2040, as outlined in the Renewable Energy Roadmap.

“What the government is doing is to really encourage investment in the different sectors,” Cusi said, citing sources such as geothermal, hydro, and offshore wind.