Germany – A NAS battery system has been commissioned at the BASF site in Schwarzheide, Germany. The NAS battery system was developed by NGK Insulators and BASF Stationary Energy Storage (BSES). BSES distributes the NAS batteries and co-develops the next generation of sodium-sulfur batteries together with NGK Insulators.
Four containerized NAS battery systems have been delivered totalling a maximum output of 1,000kW and a storage capacity of 5,800 kWh. The system is connected to the local BASF solar PV parc that is providing renewable power to the production site. The batteries can be used for peak shifting as well as intraday trading and power control.
NAS battery technology
Sodium sulfur (NAS) batteries are a type of molten salt battery based on liquid sodium and liquid sodium electrodes. They operate at temperatures of 300-350˚C and have a similar energy density (300-400 Wh/L) to lithium-ion batteries. Costs of a NAS battery are relatively low due to the use of inexpensive materials.
Due to their weight, operation temperature, long lifetime and scalability NAS batteries are suited for stationary electricity storage applications such as peak shaving, emergency power supply and grid stabilization. NAS battery systems have been installed globally over 250 locations with a total output of over 720,000 kW (720MW) and a total capacity of approximately 5.0 million kWh (5,000 MWh).
CO2 emission reduction
BASF has set a goal to reduce CO2 emissions by 25% from 2018 levels by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050. The new battery system contributes to this target by enabling storage of the surplus of solar energy to be discharged during times of solar energy deficit.
