The project is testing different local small-scale energy storage technologies in a real electrical grid on the German island of Borkum. These technologies include ultracapacitors, Li-ion batteries, old batteries from electric vehicles, thermal storage and home hybrid technologies.

An energy management system to exploit the synergies between the different local energy storage technologies, the smart grid and citizens is being developed. Real environment testing is being carried out using real cases such as Peak shaving and ancillary services in the market, Street lighting, Heating integration. Peak shaving use case will connect a high-capacity storage system, based on Ultracapacitors and Li-ion batteries, to the medium voltage grid of the island to make the grid functioning more efficient and stable. The main aim of the street lighting use case is to consume the energy supplied by the sun during daytime for lighting at night. Heating integration use case will transform and store available electricity generated by PV into cool or hot water to regulate the temperature of water in the local island aquarium. The thermal energy stored in that way can then be used later in accordance with different needs.

The project identifies viable business models and set out proposals for changes of the regulatory framework to reduce the barriers for deployment of small scale storage technologies in the grid environment. If successful, the energy storage concepts and technologies could be widely replicated, complementing and encouraging the use of variable renewable energy sources.