Neoen and French grid operator RTE have signed a contract to trial grid forming services using Neoen’s 92MW/183MWh Breizh Big Battery in Brittany.
The company said the battery, currently under construction in Pleyber-Christ, will become the first in France to provide a grid forming function once the trial starts in the second half of 2026.
According to Neoen, existing French battery storage operates in grid following mode, offering slower responses to system fluctuations.
The partners will run a one-year experiment to convert an inverter from grid following to grid forming mode to enable autonomous stabilisation of voltage and frequency.
With the retrofit, the battery is expected to deliver instantaneous responses to grid disturbances and enhance power system stability.
“We’re extremely proud to launch this one-of-a-kind pilot project in France,” said Guillaume Decaen, chief executive of Neoen France.
“With this innovation, we’re demonstrating that our assets can contribute to the electricity system not only by generating and storing electricity, but also by providing the critical services grids need to operate,” Decaen added.
“I am delighted with this experiment, which aims to test cutting-edge technological advances capable of enhancing grid stability,” commented Gabriel Bareux, RTE’s R&D director.
Xavier Barbaro, chief executive of Groupe Neoen, stated: “With a proud history of expertise in battery storage in Australia and the Nordic countries, we’re delighted to be bringing our storage know-how to the French electricity grid.”