Batteries in the Four Corners of the World: Svalbard

Saft, a subsidiary of TotalEnergies for almost a decade, develops high-performance batteries that can withstand extreme conditions. From the freezing polar cold to scorching desert heat, the company's expertise has established it as a market leader. We take you to faraway places where Saft technology is helping its customers to decarbonize. First stop: the Far North!

Infographics "Batteries in the four corners of the world" - see detailed

Batteries in the Four Corners of the World
Episode 1 – SVALBARD: Blizzards, icebergs and polar bears

1. The double challenge of the Far North
Welcome to Longyearbyen, Norway, 78° North.

Where even polar bears shiver, Saft, a subsidiary of TotalEnergies, is taking on a major challenge: installing batteries in one of the most hostile environments on the planet.

Here, it has a dual mission:

To help a community move away from coal,
Secure Arctic maritime traffic, despite the polar cold and bears.

2. When energy becomes a matter of survival
In Longyearbyen, the world's northernmost town, the 2,500 inhabitants face cool summers and harsh winters. Here, energy is not a convenience: it is a vital necessity.

3. Saying goodbye to coal
Until 2023, the town depended on a coal-fired power station to produce its electricity.
To reduce CO₂ emissions, the community has decided to switch to an energy mix combining:

renewable energy units
and diesel generators

The problem? The intermittent nature of renewable energy destabilizes the entire grid.

4. The solution: the largest battery in the Arctic, designed by SAFT
Saft has designed a 7-MWh BESS (battery energy storage system), spread across six containers, capable of absorbing fluctuations in the grid.
These lithium-ion batteries have been specially developed to withstand extreme Arctic temperatures. A technological feat in the service of energy transition in impossible conditions.

5. Further north: monitoring the ocean
Beyond Longyearbyen, the Norwegian Coastal Administration uses Saft technology to power its Automatic Identification System (AIS).
In real time, the system records:

Identity, position, speed and course of ships

This data is transmitted via stations scattered throughout the Svalbard islands.
Vital surveillance for managing maritime traffic in the Arctic Ocean.

6. Batteries designed for extreme conditions
MP 176065 xtd batteries are the only ones that can withstand polar cold without losing performance.
Each station is powered by:

33 battery packs
Each consisting of 9 smaller blocks
All assembled in a custom-made insulated case

7. The race against time... and bears!
Extreme constraint: any intervention must be completed in less than 30 minutes.
The reason? The constant risk of attack by polar bears prowling around the facilities.
In the Arctic, even maintenance becomes a high-risk adventure.

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