mtu Rolls-Royce EnergyPacks to safeguard power supplies on Norwegian island in Arctic Ocean

• Research project with Norwegian energy supplier
• Three large battery storage units compensate for voltage fluctuations in Senjahopen and Husøy
• Reliable energy for the fishing industry in the Norwegian Sea

Norwegian utility company Arva is to use three Rolls-Royce mtu EnergyPack battery energy storage systems to investigate how a public power grid can be stabilized using electricity stored in batteries. Rolls-Royce is supplying three mtu EnergyPacks QL with an output of 4.25 MVA and 3.79 MWh of capacity to the Norwegian island of Senja. They will be used to iron out voltage fluctuations in the towns of Husøy and Senjahopen which are dominated by the power-hungry fishing industry. Rolls-Royce will be involved in the research project for five years and is to provide maintenance for ten years under a long-term service agreement (ValueCare Agreement).

Senja, a few hundred kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, has a highly industrialized fish processing industry. Its modern production facilities require reliable power supplies which the grid is currently unable to provide due to the town's location on the outside periphery of Arva's supply area. This not only results in temporary production losses, but also prevent further expansion of the fishing industry.

This is why Arva has ordered three top-of-the-range mtu EnergyPacks QL from Rolls-Royce. Two of these battery containers will be installed in Husøy, and one in Senjahopen, and will be hooked up to the supply grid. From autumn onwards, they will act as buffer storage units to solve quality problems in the power supply and compensate for fluctuations in the grid. They can supply local businesses and private households with electricity for up to one hour at a time in the event of a power failure, or be used to compensate for additional electricity demand. Modern power management systems in companies and private households are to be integrated, as are local solar power systems. The findings from the research project are to be used to help improve security of supply across the entire Arva grid.

“This is not just Arva's first-ever battery storage project, it's also the largest one of its kind   nationwide. This is a significant project that we are convinced will strengthen the local power supply and give us important insights when it comes to designing tomorrow's power grid. This will enable us to continue to deliver cost-effective, efficient grid solutions to our customers as the demand for electricity rises and changes,” said Arva CEO Eirin Kjølstad.

“Rolls-Royce is delighted to have entered into this collaboration with Arva. We are proud to contribute to this innovative project, which is developing new ways to supply energy-intensive areas. Together with our partner BOS Power, we will provide support over the entire lifetime of our mtu EnergyPacks and help identify climate-friendly solutions for safeguarding power supplies,” said Steffen Heinrich, Chief Technical Officer for Microgrid Solutions at Rolls-Royce.

About Rolls-Royce Holdings plc

1. Rolls-Royce pioneers cutting-edge technologies that deliver clean, safe and competitive solutions to meet our planet’s vital power needs.
2. Rolls-Royce Power Systems is headquartered in Friedrichshafen in southern Germany and employs around 10,000 people. The product portfolio includes mtu-brand high-speed engines and propulsion systems for ships, power generation, heavy land, rail and defence vehicles and for the oil and gas industry as well as diesel and gas systems and battery containers for mission critical, standby and continuous power, combined generation of heat and power, and microgrids.
3. Rolls-Royce has customers in more than 150 countries, comprising more than 400 airlines and leasing customers, 160 armed forces, 70 navies, and more than 5,000 power and nuclear customers.
4. Annual underlying revenue was £15.45 billion in 2019, around half of which came from the provision of aftermarket services.
5. In 2019, Rolls-Royce invested £1.46 billion on research and development. We also support a global network of 29 University Technology Centres, which position Rolls-Royce engineers at the forefront of scientific research.