Before the Environmental Authority is an information report on the construction and operation of an innovative energy storage system, with the estimated cost of the investment amounting to between €7 and €7.5 million. The project is a collaboration between the Cyprus Institute and Altum Mare Ltd and is proposed to be developed in the community of Pentakomo in the Limassol district.
The relevant report concerns a pilot energy storage system, which belongs to the category of projects that serve the development and testing of new technological methods or products. The estimated period of execution and operation of this experimental unit is set at 24 months from the official start of its operation.
The Proteas solar research facility is a platform for observation and research in technological applications of solar energy of the Cyprus Institute and is an internationally renowned infrastructure, which makes Cyprus a world leader in the field of solar thermal energy research.
Proteas' state-of-the-art facilities in Pentakomo focus on the development of cutting-edge technologies for Renewable Energy Sources (RES), tackling climate change, as well as integrated systems that combine the production of green energy or heat with the production of desalinated water for the needs of agriculture.
The State's interest in this research ecosystem was also confirmed by the recent visit of the Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry, Michalis Damianos, to the facilities. As the minister characteristically stated, the storage technologies studied and tested at Proteas offer solutions that differ from traditional systems using batteries.
These alternative innovative ideas are judged to be particularly critical for Cyprus, as they aim to conserve and provide energy for longer hours during the night, filling the large demand gaps created after sunset.
Proteas operates an experimental plant specializing in the development of solar energy concentration systems (CSPs) suitable for island and coastal environments, with a particular focus on small units (<25 MWth) with large storage. These units are suitable for remote areas or for areas connected in small power grids.
In addition to onshore construction, the energy storage system involves the installation of a compressed air system, which will consist of three systems of air tanks at a water depth of 100 m. The installation of the marine system, i.e. pipes, connects the underwater air tanks with an onshore manhole on the beach.
