DOE Invests $27 Million in Battery Storage Technology and to Increase Storage Access

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $17.9 million in funding for four research and development projects to scale up American manufacturing of flow battery and long-duration storage systems. DOE also launched a new $9 million effort—the Energy Storage for Social Equity Initiative—to assist as many as 15 underserved and frontline communities leverage energy storage as a means of increasing resilience and lowering energy burdens. Together, this funding will help provide the materials needed to expand the grid with new, clean energy sources, deliver affordable electricity to disadvantaged communities, and help reach the Biden Administration’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. 

“We’re moving at lightning speed to harness renewables and access to long duration storage is critical for dispatching this clean energy for use whenever and wherever it’s needed,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “DOE’s investment to boost battery storage technology coupled with our first-ever Energy Storage for Social Equity Initiative will help generate jobs, build more resilient communities and ensure a cleaner, healthier environment for all Americans.” 

Broad Reach Power orders 118MWh ESS equipment for California project from SYL Battery

US independent power producer (IPP) Broad Reach Power has placed an order for battery energy storage system (BESS) equipment with Chinese company SYL Battery for a grid-scale project in California. 

Broad Reach Power is purchasing 188MWh of equipment from SYL to install at the 25MW / 100MWh nameplate output and capacity Cascade BESS project in Stockton, California. The IPP acquired Cascade from a subsidiary of Enel Group in November 2020, marking its entry into the California energy storage market. 

New Mexico’s largest solar-plus-storage plant in utility coal retirement plan acquired by DE Shaw

Utility Public Service Company of New Mexico’s (PNM) plan to procure energy from 950MW of solar and storage facilities by 2022 and replace its retiring 562MW San Juan Generating Station coal plant has been handed a boost.  

Arroyo Solar and Storage Project, a 300MWac solar PV plant with 150MWac / 600MWh of colocated battery storage in New Mexico’s McKinley County, will be the largest of the new clean energy resources PNM will lean on. 

New York authorizes National Grid to serve retail, bid into wholesale market with upstate battery project

The New York Public Service Commission (PSC) approved National Grid’s application to operate a storage project in Oswego County in both the retail and wholesale markets as a demonstration of the dual participation model. 

The 2 MW / 3 MWh storage unit located in National Grid’s East Pulaski Substation is designed to provide peak load reduction and avoid thermal overload on the substation’s transformer. Under the order, the company will be able to bid energy, capacity and ancillary services into wholesale markets when the battery is not needed for reliability support, with proceeds going to customer benefits. 

Biden’s FERC nominee could pave the way for the administration’s massive clean energy agenda

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has a lot of decisions to weigh over the coming years that could make an enormous difference in U.S. efforts to fight climate change, with impacts ranging from the development of policy around electricity transmission and natural gas to how renewable and distributed energy resources are integrated into the country’s energy markets.

If President Biden’s proposed nominee for the agency is approved by the U.S. Senate, those decisions will be made by a majority Democratic commission, the first since the early days of the Trump administration.

Energy Storage Association: Now is the Time for Storage ITC

More than 700,000 utility customers remain without power more than a week after Hurricane Ida barreled through Louisiana and parts of Mississippi, damaging homes and critical facilities while knocking out more than 2000 miles of transmission needed to deliver electricity to the region.

This came a week after Tropical Storm Henri dumped nearly two inches of rain on New York City in a single hour and flooded communities along the coast of New England, causing power outages to more than 120,000 homes. The remnants of Hurricane Ida topped that record, dropping over 3 inches of rain on New York City and shutting down key infrastructure. Both incidents come amidst a year already marred by days-long, statewide outages in Texas, during an unprecedented period of freezing temperatures, and recurring power shut-offs across California in an attempt to forestall the worst wildfires in recent history.

Key Capture Energy Announces SK E&S as New Majority Owner

Key Capture Energy, LLC (“KCE”), a leading developer, owner and operator of energy storage projects in the United States, today announced that it has signed an agreement to be acquired by SK E&S Co., Ltd. (“SK E&S”), a global clean energy & solution provider headquartered in Seoul, the Republic of Korea. SK E&S is an affiliate of SK group which is one of Korea’s top three business conglomerates. This transaction will enable KCE to significantly accelerate its growth plans and will allow SK E&S to build a market leading energy storage and clean energy platform in the United States.

Energy Storage News: LG Energy Solution supplying 800MWh battery storage for RWE’s US solar-plus-storage projects

RWE Renewables has ordered integrated battery energy storage systems (BESS) from LG Energy Solution for two large-scale solar-plus-storage projects being built in the US. 

RWE Renewables, subsidiary of European utility group RWE, did not specify which projects in its current pipeline will be equipped with the LG Energy Solution systems, but did say they will include a combined 200MW / 800MWh of battery storage. 

The supply contract is for integrated BESS made up of pre-assembled battery enclosures that can be transported to the project site, using modular 2.8MWh units of LG Energy Solution’s New Grid-scale Energy Storage System solution. They will be delivered in the second half of 2022, RWE Renewables said in a release yesterday. 

Axios: The other job for batteries in boosting the electric vehicle market

The electric mobility company Revel is installing battery storage at a New York City charging hub in a partnership that represents a growing and evolving trend in the industry.

Driving the news: Revel is adding storage from the firm Electric Era to help power its large charging “superhub” in Brooklyn that offers public access and charging for Revel’s ride-hailing vehicles.

Why it matters: Co-locating charging with storage improves the economics of the industry by helping to lower “demand charges” that commercial power users pay utilities based on their maximum use.

#ESACon21 Announces Virtual Agenda

The U.S. Energy Storage Association Annual Conference & Expo (#ESACon21) will convene stakeholders throughout the energy storage ecosystem for a two-part event in 2021. The free virtual event will feature sessions such as Resilient Power: Diversifying and Decentralizing with Storage, Energy Storage 101, and Securing the Storage Supply Chain. Check out the full agenda and register here.

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