Polska Grupa Energetyczna (PGE) is building the biggest European energy storage in Żarnowiec close to its 40-years-old pumped storage power plant. The innovative large-scale project to supply 263 MW and minimum output 900 MWh is a milestone in Poland’s energy transformation. The storage will be four times bigger than the present biggest in Europe of 196 MWh recently launched in the UK and capable of supplying power to 300 thousand households for 2 hours. Energy storages operate like a battery to accumulate energy surplus to be used at the time of shortage. They are of key importance for production of energy from Renewable Energy Sources (RES), the Sun and wind, that are basically unpredictable.
The Żarnowiec storage will receive energy from PGE’s wind farms situated on the Baltic Sea and other solar and wind RES plants at the seaside. PGE has already signed the power connection contract, has created a target company, has obtained the first permission to store energy and is now conducting the procedure to select turn-key contractor to design, construct and deliver complete facility. This enormous undertaking will provide many benefits to Poland increasing RES’ share in the national energy mix and thus exerting positive impact on natural environment. At present 25% of total energy in Poland is produced from RES, including 15% by wind farms.
