NGK Insulators, Ltd.(President: Taro Kato, Head office: Nagoya)and Terna S.p.A, Italy's largest transmission system operator (TSO) came to a framework agreement for supply of NAS (Sodium - Sulfur) battery system.
This represents the first large scale NAS battery energy storage system installation in European grid system.
According to the framework agreement, maximum quantity equal to 70,000kW (490,000kWh for 7 hours discharge) of the NAS battery system will be supplied for installation in the Italian transmission grid. The first phase order under this agreement is expected with the volume of 35,000kW (245,000kWh)-and with contract price of the system of about 100million euros.
In order to achieve CO2 emissions reduction targets, European nations have agreed to increase the percentage of renewable generation to 20% by 2020. Italy recorded a 72% increase in solar generation and a 34% increase in wind generation during 2012.
TERNA plans to utilize the superior response characteristics and large energy storage capacity of the NAS battery system by installing at substation to balance the demand and supply of electricity instantaneously and stabilize the transmission grid for optimum performance under the massive increase of intermittent renewable energy.
Company Profiles
1. Terna S.p.A
Head office
Rome, Italy
Date Established
1999 (became independent from ENEL, Italian electric utility, within the process for the deregulation of the Italian electricity sector)
Key Business Activities
Management and development of national electricity transmission line in Italy
Number of employees
nearly 3,500
Representative
Flavio Cattaneo, CEO
2. NGK Insulators, Ltd.
Head office
Nagoya, Japan
Date Established
1919
Key Business Activities
Manufacture and sale of electric power related equipment including insulators NAS (Sodium and Sulfur) battery, and of industrial ceramic and beryllium copper products; and plant engineering
NGK Insulators, Ltd. specializes in the design, manufacturing and marketing of electric and electronic components and equipments. Net sales break down by family of products as follows:
- ceramic products (57.3%): for automotive and industrial applications;
- components and equipment for industrial manufacturing processes (24.2%): components for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, corrosion-resistant ceramic apparatuses for chemical industries, gas analyzer, industrial heating systems, refractory products and radioactive waste treatment systems;
- electronic components (10.5%): especially for semiconductors manufacturing and special metals processing;
- electric equipments (8%): insulators and electric devices, batteries for electric power storage, etc.
Net sales break down geographically as follows: Japan (24.5%), Asia (30.4%), North America (21.7%), Europe (21.3%) and other (2.1%).
NGK INSULATORS, LTD 
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