Acciona pioneers use of blockchain technology to secure renewable sources of energy storage

Spain’s Acciona Energia was the first company to apply blockchain technology to feed 100% of renewable energy into the grid at two energy storage facilities in Navarre, Spain. With the help of Acciona’s blockchain technology, the company successfully combined the solar power plant in Tudela and the wind power plant in Barasoain.

Thanks to this technology, the company’s customers and other stakeholders can be assured that the energy provided by the battery storage facility comes entirely from renewable energy sources that do not emit greenhouse gases.

Due to the decentralized and operational characteristics of blockchain, it not only acts as a “virtual notary” proving that the energy generated is renewable; it also does so in real time and in a transparent manner. These characteristics are considered very important by renewable energy corporate clients and institutions using clean energy that require proof of origin to achieve their sustainability goals.

“Certifying renewable energy sources is becoming increasingly common, which is linked to the growth of corporate procurement of green energy, and blockchain technology can greatly facilitate the rollout of this service anywhere in the world. We are delighted to have taken the first steps towards this service, which will surely grow in importance in the coming years.”

The storage chain system developed by Acciona manages the data recorded by electricity counters of wind and solar power plants and matches them with renewable energy certificates. These data are stored in the blockchain platform as a guarantee of the legitimacy of these green certificates, which customers can access at any time.

The initiative is part of a broader project called GREENCHAIN, which aims to prove the renewable origin of all the company’s electricity production through blockchain technology.

The Barasoain plant is equipped with an energy storage system consisting of two batteries, one fast-response 1MW/0.39MWh; the other 0.7MW/0.7MWh with greater autonomy. Both are connected to a 3MW Nordex AW116/3000 wind turbine. In May last year, the plant received the world's first grid-connected energy storage solution certification from DNV GL.

The PV facility near Tudela has a 1MW/650kWh battery energy storage system.

Both systems are managed by control software developed by Acciona Energia and permanently integrated in the company’s Centre de Controlléans d’Energies en Renewables (CECOER).

(Original text from: Renewable Energy Magazine New Energy Network Comprehensive)