Hithium, a stationary battery manufacturer, has partnered with Solarpro, a solar project EPC provider, to supply battery products to a 55 MWh energy storage project in Bulgaria.
Solarpro will be providing turnkey EPC services to the project, which will support a photovoltaic installation in the southwest Bulgarian town of Razlog. Construction of the new facility will commence in early 2024, and according to the companies, it will be the largest battery energy storage project already in implementation in southeast Europe.
“As the region’s utility-scale solar production ramps up, energy storage is gaining importance since it enables us to deliver solar-generated energy more reliably,” said Solarpro CEO, Krasen Mateev. “We are very pleased to take this step with Hithium to accelerate the growth of energy storage in eastern Europe.”
Hithium will supply 16 energy storage containers with a 3,44 MWh capacity, based on the company’s 280 Ah cells, which have a long lifespan. They also feature a wide operating temperature range, thereby allowing the project to run without interruption in extreme weather.
Hithium’s containers achieve high thermal stability with liquid as compared to air cooling, helping them to save space and increase the product’s energy density along with their multi-stage, active fire protection system.
The BESS owner will be a subsidiary of the Vienna-based Renalfa IPP, who decided to co-locate the battery within the existing 33 MWp capacity PV plant.
The solar farm is equipped with a photovoltaic tracker mounting system, which enhances efficiency and output, along with its own substation. The location of the plant has Bulgaria’s highest levels of irradiation to provide appropriate electricity generation.
