Cactos enters the Swedish ancillary service market

In addition to Finland’s ancillary service markets, Cactos is now participating in Sweden’s market for Frequency Containment Reserve for Disturbances (FCR-D) with its battery energy storage systems. The expansion opens new revenue opportunities for Cactos’s customers in Sweden and strengthens the company’s position in the Swedish market.

Access to Sweden’s FCR-D market is the result of long-term development work. Participation requires approval from Svenska kraftnät, Sweden’s transmission system operator, and passing a comprehensive testing programme. The Nordic reserve requirements are harmonised within a common regulatory framework, so the control technology developed and validated in Finland can be applied directly in the other Nordic countries as well. Each country’s transmission system operator, however, has its own approval process that must be completed separately.

During the fall, Cactos will also begin operating in Sweden’s market for Frequency Containment Reserve for Normal operation (FCR-N).

What is FCR-D?

Frequency Containment Reserve for Disturbances (FCR-D) aims to keep the grid frequency between 49.5 and 50.5 Hz when it deviates from the normal frequency range, for example due to a sudden fault in a large generation plant or transmission connection. The reserve activates automatically and quickly, helping to prevent the disturbance from spreading. FCR-D is divided into separate upward and downward regulation products, FCR-D up and FCR-D down.

Reserves are the backup capacity in the power system that transmission system operators use to keep electricity generation and consumption in constant balance. When generation and consumption do not match, the grid frequency deviates from its 50 Hz target. Energy storage systems and other flexible resources that participate in the reserve markets automatically adjust their power output within seconds to help restore the frequency, for which the transmission system operator pays compensation.  

About Cactos

• Founded in 2021 in Finland, Cactos manufactures and operates intelligent energy storage systems.
• The company’s name is inspired by a cactus, which adapts to its environment and excels at storing water and nutrients.
• Revenue: €17 million
• Employees: 100+
• Has delivered energy storage solutions to over 400 sites across Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Ukraine, with installed capacity exceeding 100 MWh.
• Cactos systems manage peak consumption, secure critical power supply, and participate in electricity markets automatically.
• Cactos also operates as an energy company, selling electricity directly to its customers.
• Competitiveness is based on a full value chain approach. The Cactos Spine cloud service, developed in-house, maximises the value of energy storage for customers. Systems and key components are manufactured at the company’s production facility in Kempele, Finland.
• Cactos finances the majority of its energy storage systems.

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