A consortium of Alstom and Saft have been awarded a contract by EDF group to provide an initial energy storage system.

The consortium will contribute to the EDF’s demonstration on a megawatt scale for frequency regulation using a lithium-ion battery storage system.

Under the contract, the Alstom-Saft consortium will develop 1MW/30min energy storage and conversion system, using a container of Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, capable of regulating the frequency of the grid.

Saft’s Intensium Max 20M storage system and Alstom’s MaxSine eStorage solution wil be integrated and installed on EDF R&D’s experimental Concept Grid, designed for the development of grids and smart electrical systems.

Alstom Grid senior vice-president of smart grid & HVDC Patrick Plas said the battery energy storage system is part of the Nouvelle France Industrielle project, which was launched by the French government in 2013.

“At the cutting edge of smart grid and power transportation infrastructure optimisation technologies, Alstom Grid is contributing its technological expertise to the excellence of the French and European energy industry,” Plas said.

Located on the EDF site of Les Renardières in the south of Paris (Seine-et-Marne region), the storage system and the power converter will be delivered in late 2014.

Saft energy storage activity director François Bouchon said: “With our international experience in the integration of renewable energies especially for networks in the Paris area, this innovative experiment will demonstrate the added value of a battery storage system and the performance of Li-ion technology in this promising sector.”