UK developer Harmony Energy Ltd. has begun construction on France’s biggest battery storage facility, boosting the country’s ability to store green electricity when it’s plentiful for use later when it’s needed.
The 100-megawatt Cheviré battery project in the western city of Nantes will use Tesla Inc.’s Megapack product and be able to power 170,000 homes for two hours, the company said. The facility, on the site of an old power station that burnt fossil fuels for more than 30 years, will provide critical balancing services to the grid and enable the shift to renewable energy.
France’s network operator said last year the country will need more flexibility such as battery storage and tools to shift demand away from peak hours as more intermittent renewables are added to supplement the country’s nuclear fleet.
Construction has already started, with the battery system due to be connected to the grid in the summer of 2025 and ready to be fully operational by the end of next year.