Saudi Arabia commissions its largest battery energy storage system

Saudi Arabia has officially connected its largest battery energy storage system (BESS) to the grid, marking a significant milestone in the country’s renewable energy expansion. The project proponents describe the 500 MW/2000 MWh BESS development in Bisha, in the south-western Saudi Arabian province of ‘Asir, as the world’s largest operational single phase energy storage project.

The Bisha battery storage facility, owned by Saudi Electric Company (SEC), features 122 prefabricated storage units, designed and supplied by China’s BYD. Each unit integrates a 6 MW power conversion system (PCS) alongside four lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery modules, each with a capacity of 5.365 MWh. This modular approach is decribed as a way to optimize space utilization, enhance system integration, and minimize potential failure points.

The EPC works on the project were carried out by a consortium between State Grid Corporation of China and Riyadh-based developer Alfanar Projects. The facility’s deployment in the harsh desert environment posed substantial challenges, including extreme temperatures and frequent sandstorms. Engineers overcame these conditions by refining installation methods and optimizing commissioning processes to ensure long-term reliability.

The Bisha BESS is part of Saudi Arabia’s broader initiative to strengthen its renewable energy infrastructure. This development aligns with Vision 2030, the kingdom’s long-term economic strategy, which aims to derive 50% of its energy from renewable sources. Energy storage is a vital component of this transition, providing grid flexibility and enabling the integration of intermittent power sources such as solar and wind.

The project is among several large-scale battery storage initiatives being developed in Saudi Arabia. In an ongoing procurement, the Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) is tendering four 500 MW / 2,000 MWh BESS projects. The list of prequalified 33 bidders was released earlier in January, revealing Masdar, ACWA Power, EDF, and TotalEnergies as competitors for 15-year storage services agreements.

*This article was updated on January 22 to reflect the fact the the EPC works on the project were carried out by a consortium between State Grid Corporation of China and Riyadh-based developer Alfanar Projects and not by Power China Hubei Engineering Co., a subsidiary of Power China, as previously reported.