Azerbaijan has kicked off the installation of major Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to facilitate the rapid expansion of renewable energy, Azerenerji announced, as reported by Report.
These facilities—the largest by power and capacity in the CIS region—are being established at the 500 kV Absheron substation near Baku and the 220 kV Agdash substation in central Azerbaijan, with a combined capacity of 250 MW and 500 MWh of storage.
The initial shipment of custom-built batteries from China’s Great Power facility has arrived, transported by sea through the Pacific, Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Suez Canal, Mediterranean, and Aegean Sea to Türkiye’s Gemlik Port, then overland via Türkiye and Georgia.
Each 36-ton battery unit was escorted by police to the sites. Approximately 15% of the equipment has been delivered, with the remaining 85% slated for arrival and installation by April.
Azerenerji highlighted the strategic value of these storage centers in enhancing grid stability, maintaining frequency balance, mitigating renewable generation variability, managing peak demand, compensating for low solar periods, and enabling black-start recovery in emergencies.
The systems will reinforce Azerbaijan’s energy independence and support reliable grid operation, both in interconnected and island modes with neighboring countries.
https://report.az/en/energy/azerbaijan-launches-large-scale-battery-storage-systems-for-green-energy