Energy Storage News

ADELAIDE, South Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SolarReserve has signed a long-term Generation Project Agreement (GPA) to build a 150 megawatt solar thermal power station with 8 hours of energy storage near the town of Port Augusta, South Australia. The GPA with the State Government of South Australia was signed today at a ceremony with Jay Weatherill, Premier of South Australia, and Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis.

UNION CITY, Calif.--Amber Kinetics, Inc., developer of the first commercially available four-hour duration flywheel energy storage technology, and Enel, one of the world’s leading integrated utilities with a presence in more than 30 countries across five continents, have signed a two-year agreement to cooperate on jointly assessing Amber Kinetics’ innovative technology and to explore the possible development of future projects.

The project is one phase of a larger Austin Energy grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Sustainable and Holistic Integration of Energy Storage and Solar Photovoltaics (SHINES) program. The program’s goal is to reduce the cost of electricity from combined solar and storage projects to below $0.14/kWh. In this eighth utility contract for Stem, Stem is proving how its innovative aggregated platform can integrate solar and energy storage to increase grid performance and reliability and enable higher penetrations of solar PV. Austin Energy is using the Stem partnership to test new customer offerings that result in sustainable aggregation models.

SAN FRANCISCO-8minutenergy Renewables, LLC (“8minutenergy”), the largest independent solar power developer in the U.S., announced it has expanded into the energy storage market with a 1 gigawatt (GW) project pipeline. The company is focused on standalone storage and hybrid (solar PV + storage) systems, driven by its storage leadership team that has several decades of experience building some of America’s largest energy storage, renewable energy, and transmission projects.

MILLBRAE, Calif.-Stem, Inc., the leader in energy storage as a service, has expanded its reach into New York State with commercial-scale energy storage and active participation in grid support programs. Stem is working with more than 20 companies in the Empire State looking to deploy 14 megawatt hours (MWh) of energy storage systems across 80 locations to reduce energy costs and strengthen the local grid. Stem’s pipeline of New York projects involve innovative programs with Consolidated Edison and the New York State Energy and Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Some of the first systems are being installed at four theaters in the NYC area in partnership with a leading cinema chain as part of a NYSERDA technology commercialization program (ETAC-CI).  

CHICAGO- ComEd announced today the launch of a pilot project to test the use of battery storage technology to reduce the impact of power outages in residential areas where customers experience service interruptions, particularly in extreme weather events. ComEd’s Community Energy Storage (CES) pilot is being conducted in Beecher, Ill., approximately 40 miles south of Chicago. The pilot will focus on improving power reliability for customers experiencing multiple interruptions. One of the first utilities in the nation to install CES, ComEd will also evaluate the potential of this technology to serve as a proactive tool to drive continuous improvement in service reliability.

SEOUL, South Korea--Samsung SDI officially announced that it has successfully delivered the world-largest volume of its most innovative batteries to ESS (Energy Storage System) projects in California, USA. Jointly working with global top energy storage solution providers such as AES, Samsung SDI has supplied a total of 240MWh of ESS Li-ion batteries and associated Battery Management Systems. This 240 MWh ESS portfolio of projects is the world’s largest volume of its kind ever, and comprises around 700,000 battery 94Ah cells manufactured by Samsung SDI. The AES installations alone constitute over 60 percent of delivered batteries, a total of 150 MWh comprising 440,000 of such cells, making it the largest Li-ion battery-based ESS installation in the world.

HERNDON, Va.--Greensmith Energy, the leader in energy storage solutions and software, announced today that Oncor Electric Delivery (Oncor) has selected Greensmith as the software provider for its microgrid facility in Dallas, Texas. Oncor’s advanced microgrid consists of: a carport PV array, ground mount PV array, microturbine, diesel generators, gas reciprocating generator and battery storage unit.

DENVER--Panasonic, Xcel Energy, and Younicos have released a white paper, A Portfolio Microgrid in Denver, Colorado: How a multi-use battery energy storage system provides grid and customer services through a public-private partnership, that details a unique solar-plus-storage microgrid project under way at Denver’s smart and sustainable transit-oriented development, Peña Station NEXT. This portfolio microgrid aids renewable energy grid integration; strengthens grid resilience through backup power and grid support services such as peak shaving and frequency regulation, and benefits diverse stakeholders and the entire power grid through a multi-use, lithium-ion energy storage battery system

CONCORD, N.C--Alevo, the Energy Storage Provider, has today unveiled the GB35, a compact-Alevo GridBank delivering optimum levels of safety, robustness, reliability and lowest levelized cost of storage (LCOS). The GB35 joins the recently launched GB50 as part of a new suite of lithium-ion compact-energy storage systems (ESS) that are non-flammable and capable of extreme long life (50,000+ cycles). The GB35/GB50 systems are also capable of high power output (70 and 100 kW respectively).

MILLBRAE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Stem, Inc., the global leader in commercial-scale intelligent energy storage services, has completed testing on its customer-sited storage fleet installed for Hawaiian Electric Company. The storage fleet provides one megawatt (MW) of intelligent storage services across 29 customer sites to accommodate more renewable energy resources on the O‘ahu grid. Extensive testing confirms that Stem’s software-driven storage acts as a virtual power plant (VPP) to manage diverse load shapes and site characteristics to serve the utility’s real-time needs.

NEW YORK--Eos Energy Storage (“Eos”) – pioneer of the safe, ultra-low cost Znyth® battery technology – today announced a partnership with Siemens to integrate, install and service energy storage solutions. “Working with such an established energy industry leader like Siemens is an exciting step for us and the energy storage industry,” said Eos CEO Michael Oster. “By combining Eos’ cost and performance advantage with Siemens’ capabilities in system integration and project execution, we are able to offer solutions that reduce risk and complexity for the customer while setting a new benchmark for energy storage reliability and cost-effectiveness.”

CONCORD, N.C.- Alevo™, the Energy Storage Provider, has today announced the appointment of Peter Heintzelman as Group Chief Financial Officer. Heintzelman brings a wealth of international management and board level experience, having conducted strategic planning and successful financial management for major energy businesses around the world.  Heintzelman joins from T5 Oil & Gas, a privately-funded E&P (exploration and production) firm, where his responsibilities as CFO included leading corporate and organic upstream transactions across Africa and the Middle East and maintaining a strong following in the financial markets. He brings over 25 years’ experience in the energy and energy investment banking sectors globally, with a background that includes Head of Energy roles with Standard Bank, and senior management positions at Halliburton and Enron.

EMERYVILLE, Calif.--Greensmith Energy, the leader in energy storage software and integration, announced 130 megawatts of new energy storage systems in 2016, all powered by the company’s industry-leading software platform, GEMS5. The multi-project year includes the design and delivery of the largest energy storage system in the world deployed in Pomona, California providing 20MW/80MWh capacity.

SANTA CLARA, Calif.-Green Charge Networks, LLC, the largest provider of commercial energy storage in the US, today announced that systems are live and operational for California’s largest school energy storage project. Serving more than 17,000 students in San Diego, Grossmont Union High School installed Green Charge’s GridSynergy™ Storage with $6.4 million in projected savings and revenues. The systems and installation came at no cost to the district through Green Charge’s Power Efficiency Agreement™ (PEA) shared-savings model.

PHOENIX-Arizona Public Service (APS) is bringing battery-based energy storage to the desert through a 4 megawatt (MW) energy storage agreement with AES Energy Storage which will provide enough storage capacity to power 1,000 homes. The pair of 2-MW AES Advancion® energy storage arrays will be deployed as part of the APS Solar Partner Program (SPP), and represent AES’ first installation in Arizona.

WESTBOROUGH, Mass.-NEC Energy Solutions (NEC ES), a subsidiary of NEC Corporation, today announced that it is supplying Southern California Edison (SCE) with its first grid energy storage pilot system under a pre-approved energy storage procurement program initially conceived of and announced by SCE last year. The NEC ES GSS® grid storage solution product line is the first in the innovative “plug-and-play” procurement strategy being employed by SCE to demonstrate the ability of energy storage to support the distribution grid. Energy storage with a variety of features and configurations can now be ordered by SCE on-demand and installed almost anywhere to support SCE pilot program activities.

BOSTON--GE and longtime customer Southern California Edison (SCE) today announced a plan to install the world’s first battery storage and gas turbine hybrid. The two-project solution first calls for installation of a battery energy storage system from Current, powered by GE, followed by upgrades to a GE LM6000 gas turbine to integrate the two systems. The LM6000 Hybrid EGT, which is scheduled to be deployed at two SCE sites in the coming months, was developed in response to changing regulations and grid requirements in the wake of California’s Aliso Canyon energy crisis earlier this year and will ultimately support increasing renewable energy capacity on the California grid.

HERNDON, Va.--Greensmith Energy, one of the largest providers of energy storage software and integration services, announced today that AltaGas Ltd. has selected Greensmith as the software provider and system integrator for a 20 MW/80MWh system in Pomona, California. Together, AltaGas and Greensmith will deploy a state-of-the-art 20 MW energy storage system to help with Resource Adequacy in California and offer multiple other grid applications. The project will be expedited and is expected to be completed in December 2016. “AltaGas has significant experience developing, owning and operating clean energy assets across North America,” said David Harris, President and Chief Executive Officer of AltaGas. “Adding battery storage to our California power portfolio and having Greensmith as our partner, proves the versatility of our asset base and greatly enhances the value of what we can offer the California and desert southwest markets through integrated energy centers providing clean, reliable electricity.”

UNION CITY, Calif.--Seth Sanders, PhD, chief scientist and co-founder of Amber Kinetics, Inc., will participate in a panel discussion on Advancements in Storage Technology at the STUDIO Conference in San Francisco on August 3. Dr. Sanders’ presentation is entitled, “Multi-hour Flywheel Energy Storage Technology for Utility Applications.” Amber Kinetics is the developer of the world’s first commercially ready four-hour flywheel energy storage system. "The Amber Kinetics energy storage system can support unlimited cycling with zero capacity degradation over a 20+ year service life and is readily deployed in global outdoor settings,” Dr. Sanders said. “Our technology can multi-task to serve provision of capacity, load/peak shifting, frequency regulation, frequency response, and more, all within a single installation.”

HERNDON, Va.--Greensmith, one of the largest providers of energy storage software and integration services, announced today it has entered into a cooperation agreement with Wärtsilä. This enables Wärtsilä to deliver energy storage systems integrated with solar PV, and Wärtsilä Smart Power Generation power plants, jointly forming a hybrid energy solution. Greensmith will provide its GEMS software platform to provide the full control for the entire system. Wärtsilä, a global leader in multi-fuel power plants will leverage its significant installed base and provide global EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) and O&M (operation and maintenance) services to customers worldwide. As a combined market solution, Wärtsilä and Greensmith will provide sustainable, reliable, and affordable power — particularly in countries and regions with limited or small electrical grids.

INDIANAPOLIS--Indianapolis Power & Light Company (IPL), a subsidiary of The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES), announces today IPL and AES leaders cut the ribbon on the new IPL Advancion® Energy Storage Array Facility located at the Harding Street Generation Station. The Advancion Array is the first grid-scale, battery-based energy storage system to make a footprint in the 15-state Midcontinent Independent System Operation (MISO) region, which will provide affordable and reliable power for our customers.“IPL is committed to developing energy solutions that balance affordability for our customers and the impact on the environment,” said Rafael Sanchez, IPL President & CEO. “This array provides an innovative approach to helping address the challenges that come with diversifying our energy mix with more wind and solar resources.”

HONOLULU--All public elementary, middle, and high schools in the Hawaiian Electric Companies’ service territory are receiving new, intelligent, energy-monitoring devices and software through a unique collaboration among Stem, Inc., a California-based leader in software-driven energy storage; Hawaiian Electric Companies; Energy Excelerator and the Hawai‘i Department of Education (DOE). As more public schools add classroom cooling, solar power, efficient lighting and other energy efficiency equipment, balancing costs and energy use become increasingly critical. It will require active monitoring and management of high-use devices like air-conditioning systems.

TROY, Mich.--A 7 megawatt (MW)/3 megawatt-hour (MWh) battery energy system powered by LG Chem batteries has been commissioned for S&C Electric Company, making it one of the largest solar and energy storage systems in the United States. Commercial operation of the system will be run by its owner Half Moon Ventures (HMV), a renewable energy company, and will be used primarily by the local municipal utility of the Village of Minster, Ohio.