Statkraft has brought online a four-hour battery storage installation at Cushaling in County Offaly, representing Ireland's longest-duration grid-scale energy storage system and addressing persistent renewable curtailment issues, RTÉ reports.

The 22.8 MW facility stores sufficient electricity to supply 10,000 homes for four hours following wind generation cessation. System response capabilities reach under one-tenth of a second when activated by EirGrid, the transmission operator.

Kevin O'Donovan, managing director of Statkraft Ireland, identified curtailment waste as a primary concern. Between 10 and 14 per cent of available wind capacity goes unutilised annually when turbines shut down during low-demand periods despite favourable conditions. "By using our four-hour battery storage technology, we can capture it and effectively move it, so it is consumed at other times when electricity demand is higher," O'Donovan said.

The installation sits adjacent to Statkraft's 55.8 MW Cushaling wind farm and the Edenderry power station. A planned solar farm starting construction in 2026 will add generation diversity, with the battery system storing output from both wind and solar sources.

Previous Irish battery installations typically provided 30 minutes to two hours of capacity. The extended duration enables longer bridging periods between peak supply and demand cycles, enhancing grid flexibility during weather events or equipment failures.

Statkraft entered Ireland's renewable market in 2018 and has deployed over €1 billion across onshore wind, offshore wind, solar, battery storage and grid services. The company describes Cushaling as evolving into a hybridised clean energy hub mirroring government policy on integrated renewable sites.

A dedicated sustainability fund will support local initiatives within twelve months of full commissioning.

Review technical specifications and grid integration details for Statkraft's Cushaling battery facility in the full story.