Valorem Chooses Energy Pool to Optimise Its New Solar Farm

On 23 May 2024, the Valorem group, an independent green energy operator, inaugurated its new Limoux Energies solar farm, located in the commune of Limoux in the Aude region.
Having worked alongside Valorem from the project study phase through to its commissioning, this project perfectly illustrates the added value of our dedicated hybrid power plant solution.

A Necessary Hybridisation of the Plant

Installed on a former illegal landfill site, the Limoux solar farm consists of 2,730 solar panels capable of producing 2 GWh of electricity per year—enough to cover the annual needs of around 880 households.
As the power plant does not benefit from a feed-in premium, it is exposed to the fluctuations of the SPOT electricity market. Indeed, prices tend to be low during periods of high sunshine—when the plant is running at full capacity—and high during times of little or no production.

To address this issue, Valorem installed a 2.3 MWh electricity storage system consisting of 7 batteries, thereby transforming the site into a hybrid power plant.

A Storage System Capable of Storing Up to 2.3 MWh of Electricity

This system allows energy to be stored when market prices are low and sold when they are high. This practice is known as SPOT arbitrage.
Not only does it maximise the plant’s revenues, but by injecting energy during periods of high SPOT prices and withdrawing during low-price periods, it responds to price signals that help support the electricity grid.

In addition, the integration of battery storage offers the opportunity to participate in primary (FCR) and secondary (aFRR) reserves—real-time frequency regulation mechanisms of the French power grid—aimed at maintaining the frequency around 50 Hz. These services, which support the electricity system, are also financially valued and contribute to maximising the plant’s income.

Although participation in these markets presents a lucrative prospect for renewable energy developers, it remains complex and requires intelligent site management in order to optimise energy flows and manage technical constraints (such as delivery point injection limits), while also choosing the most appropriate strategy between SPOT arbitrage and primary regulation.

Energy Pool’s Integrated Solution

To manage this complexity, Valorem turned to Energy Pool, an independent expert offering an integrated solution for hybrid plants, which includes several key components:

Renewable Production Aggregation
We optimise and monetise the electricity produced on energy markets.

Flexibility Aggregation
We monetise the flexibility of facilities, especially storage assets, on various markets such as FCR, aFRR, mFRR/RR, and the intraday market.

A Control and Optimisation Solution
Our Energy Management System (EMS) enables optimal decision-making on Day-Ahead and in real-time, based on site constraints, equipment, weather conditions, and market signals.

For Energy Pool, Valorem stands as an industry benchmark for the implementation of an integrated EMS to operate a hybrid power plant.
If you're a renewable energy producer with a storage system, get in touch with Energy Pool today!