Sonnedix unveils pilot storage system at Puerto Rico solar plant

France-based solar power producer Sonnedix has commissioned a 1.25-MWh energy storage system in Puerto Rico, a pilot project for the company designed to make solar a more consistent source of power.

The storage facility provides 100% of the overnight operational energy requirements of the 16-MW Horizon Energy solar power plant in Salinas, making the project almost grid-independent, according to a statement last week. This is the first of a series of planned projects to demonstrate the viability of "base-load and on-demand solar," Sonnedix said.

The storage system uses battery technology of US firm Aquion Energy and is powered by a separate 250-kWp solar array.

"It’s an exciting time for both the solar and energy storage industries because this project proves that the movement of daytime production into the night is possible, in what will be an increasingly cost-effective manner," said Sean O'Day, Sonnedix's director of future solutions.

The company is pursuing further partnerships with developers of combined solar and bulk energy storage projects worldwide, he also said.

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