Stationary battery manufacturer Hithium and solar project EPC provider Solarpro have announced a strategic partnership, with their first project to come in Bulgaria. Hithium has agreed to supply the battery products to a 55 MWh energy storage project, for which Solarpro is providing turnkey EPC services. The new plant will support a photovoltaic installation in the southwest Bulgarian town of Razlog. With construction of the new facility planned for the start of 2024, it is the largest battery energy storage project already in implementation in southeast Europe.
“As the region’s utility-scale solar production ramps up, energy storage is gaining importance since it enables us to deliver solar-generated energy more reliably,” explained Solarpro CEO, Krasen Mateev. “We are very pleased to take this step with Hithium to accelerate the growth of energy storage in eastern Europe. We have been working on preparation, engineering and development on the joint solution over the past months for this landmark project. We are dedicated to lead the energy transition adding new technologies in our product portfolio.”
Ning (Kelson) Li, Hithium Director Large-Scale BESS Project for Central, Northern, and Eastern Europe, added: “We’re proud to collaborate with Solarpro, such an experienced European partner in the sector of renewable energy and battery energy storage system, to start with the ground-breaking for Razlog BESS plant. This project represents our entry into eastern Europe and perfectly reflects the contribution we want to make to the region, scaling up energy storage to stabilise the supply of clean energy.”
Hithium will supply 16 energy storage containers with a 3,44 MWh capacity, based on the company’s 280 Ah cells, which have an extra-long expected lifespan. They also feature a wide operating temperature range, thus the new energy storage project anticipates being able to run uninterrupted even in extreme weather. Along with their multi-stage, active fire protection system, Hithium’s containers achieve high thermal stability with liquid instead of air cooling, which also enables them to save space and increases the product’s energy density.
The BESS owner will be a subsidiary of the Vienna-based Renalfa IPP. The investor decided to co-locate the big battery within the existing 33 MWp capacity PV plant. The solar farm is equipped by a photovoltaic tracker mounting system, enhancing the installation’s efficiency and output, along with its own substation. The area where the plant is situated has some of Bulgaria’s highest levels of irradiation to provide an exceptional degree of electricity generation.
