Technology group Wärtsilä, together with SMC Global Power Holdings Inc. subsidiary, Universal Power Solutions Inc., has commissioned two energy storage projects in the Philippines. The storage projects include the Integrated Renewable Power Hub, situated in Toledo and BCCPP, situated in Limay, and have a capacity of 20MW and 40MW respectively.

These are the first energy storage systems supplied by Wärtsilä to the Philippines and are the result of storage contracts signed with Universal Power Solutions between 2019 and 2020. The projects are delivered on an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) basis, and include Wärtsilä’s propriety software and hardware solutions.

The systems comprise the company’s GridSolv Max system, a standardised energy storage solution that provides flexible and modular storage for the core hardware assets of the systems, including the batteries, a safety and fire system, and inverters, alongside the advanced GEMS Digital Energy Platform.

“Our partnership with SMC Global Power, a company with technical experience in battery energy storage systems, has enabled us to reach this stage and be ready for operation in record time…These projects showcase our long-term commitment to be present in the Philippines and to continue delivering optimised solutions that support the energy transition in Southeast Asia,” commented Kari Punnonen, director, Australasia, Wärtsilä Energy.

Wärtsilä’s GEMS grid applications include voltage and frequency regulation, reactive power support, spinning reserve, ramp rate optimisation, renewable energy output smoothing, and energy arbitrage.

In 2018, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) committed to meeting 23% of its primary energy needs from renewables by 2025. The region aims to leverage its abundant wind and solar resources and reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, especially as grid systems are developing and economies growing. Energy storage, therefore, plays a vital role in ensuring grid stability and resilience as Southeast Asia transitions to carbon-free resources.

Wärtsilä has a strong presence in Southeast Asia with a total installed capacity of over 9,000MW, of which 2,000MW were executed as EPC deliveries, including approximately 300MW of contracted energy storage systems.