Aggreko, a leading provider of temporary power, temperature control and energy services, is adding mobile and modular energy storage to its 10 gigawatt (GW) fleet of distributed energy assets.
The Y.Cube is a fully integrated, ready-to-install lithium-ion battery system, built on the decade-long expertise of energy storage pioneer Younicos, which Aggreko acquired in 2017. Housed entirely within a standard 20-ft container, the 1-megawatt (MW) units can be delivered and quickly deployed worldwide.
The system can cover a variety of applications from 1 MW up to multi-MW power output and is available in two versions: a 30-minute “power” unit and a 60-minute “energy” unit. The 20-ft container houses batteries, inverters, heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), fire protection and auxiliary components. These are tested and pre-assembled by Aggreko experts and controlled by intelligent software. It is designed for a wide ambient temperature range from -20°C to +50°C to match the often-challenging requirements of remote customer sites.
“Renewable energy is increasingly affordable, but not yet as universally available as it should be, while energy demand is increasing," says Dan Ibbetson, managing director, Global Products and Technology at Aggreko. "Battery storage systems offer the flexibility required for safe and stable use of wind and solar power and increase the efficiency of thermal units."
He continues, “In the Y.Cube, we have successfully combined proven battery expertise from Younicos with Aggreko’s containerization experience. The Y.Cube enables us to provide cheaper, cleaner and smarter energy wherever it’s needed for our customers.
“It is designed to fit seamlessly within the Aggreko thermal fleet and can be easily combined with solar and thermal products to provide our customers with the lowest cost of energy. We are now building a fleet of Y.Cubes, which will enable us to quickly deploy on short notice," Ibbetson says.
The Y.Cube is available for short-term needs for as little as six months or for periods of years under Aggreko’s “Energy-Storage-as-a-Service” model. It can also be bundled with Aggreko’s other hardware systems as part of the company’s “Microgrids-as-a-Service” offer.
“We’re already seeing considerable interest from a range of sectors and applications," says Karim Wazni, managing director, Aggreko Microgrid and Storage Solutions (AMSS). "One of the most economically attractive propositions is to combine the Y.Cube with natural gas and solar generation in off-grid applications. This could include remote mining sites, in weak grids like islands, or, with gas generators only to provide bridging power – for example in datacentres.”
Aggreko will be deploying the Y.Cube as part of its hybrid microgrid solution at the Granny Smith gold mine in Western Australia, as well as in several African mining projects. AMSS is also working with island communities and datacentres to introduce the Y.Cube.
