In November 2009, Duke Energy announced plans to match a $22m (£13m) grant from the US Department of Energy (DOE) to install large-scale batteries capable of storing electricity produced by the company’s 153MW Notrees wind farm in the state.
After due diligence, Duke Energy chose Xtreme Power to design, install and operate a 36MW-capacity battery storage system at the wind farm. When complete, it will be one of the largest of its kind in the world.
The system itself will store excess wind energy and discharge it whenever demand for electricity is highest — not just when wind turbine blades are turning. In addition to increasing the supply of renewable energy during periods of peak demand, Xtreme’s system will help to stabilise the frequency of electricity fed to the power grid.
Duke Energy will work with the Energy Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to integrate the wind power and battery storage solution into the state’s independent power grid.
The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) will advise the project team, collect data and help to assess the potential for the broader adoption of energy storage solutions throughout the industry.
Results from the storage project at Duke Energy’s Notrees wind farm will be shared publicly through the DOE’s so-called Smart Grid Information Clearinghouse.
Poll: Should the UK’s railways be renationalised?
I think that a network inclusive of the vehicles on it would make sense. However it remains to be seen if there is any plan for it to be for the...