Acciona adds blockchain to wind-storage facility

SPAIN: Acciona Energía is using blockchain technology to certify that energy fed into the grid from its wind-battery hybrid project in Navarre is completely renewable.

Barásoain features five 3MW Nordex AW116/3000 turbines - one is connected to a 1.7MW battery system

Blockchain technology, in which data is recorded in an open, distributed ledger in a verifiable and permanent way, has been integrated into its 15MW Barásoain wind farm in northern Spain, Acciona announced.

One of the five 3MW Nordex AW116/3000 turbines at the Barásoain project is connected to two lithium-ion batteries: one, a fast-response 1MW/0.39MWh battery and the other, 0.7MW/0.7MWh.

The fast-response battery is capbale of maintaining 1MW of power for 20 minutes, while the former is capable of maintaining 0.7MW for one hour.

By adding blockchain technology to the facility, Acciona can certify that the energy it produces is of renewable origin transparently, and in real-time.

The developer has also added blockchain technology to its solar plant in Tudela, which is also connected to an energy storage system.

Belén Linares, Acciona Energia’s director of innovation, said: "Certifying the renewable origin of energy is increasingly widespread, associate with the growth of the corporate procurement of green energy, and blockchain technology can greatly facilitate this service to clients in any part of the world.

"We are very pleased to have taken this first step in a service that will surely grow in importance over the next few years."

Acciona inaugurated its Barásoain wind farm in September 2017, and in May, it became the first grid-energy storage project to receive a prototype certificate from Certification body DNV GL.