company xcel energy has announced that Breakthrough Energy Catalyst agreed to commit $20 million in grants to support two multi-day energy storage projects designed to maximize the use of renewable energy while maintaining grid reliability.
The grant would provide $10 million each for two 10 MW/1000 MWh iron-air battery systems, subject to meeting certain funding conditions. Xcel Energy and Form Energy, based in Massachusetts, announced in January an agreement to build the batteries at the retiring coal plant sites: the Sherburne County Generating Station in Becker, Minnesota, and the Comanche Generating Station in Pueblo, Colorado.
The batteries will allow Xcel Energy to store renewable energy such as solar and wind when it is being produced and then distribute the power during off-peak periods.
“Innovative long-duration energy storage technologies are crucial to achieving 100% carbon-free electricity,” said Bob Frenzel, Xcel Energy President and CEO. “This Catalyst grant will accelerate the adoption of this promising new technology, which allows us to provide higher percentages of renewable energy while still providing affordable electric service to our customers.”
long term storage
Breakthrough Energy Catalyst funds and invests in projects that use emerging climate technologies to reduce emissions and accelerate the transition to clean energy. The grant represents Catalyst’s first partnership with a utility, demonstrating the strong alignment between Catalyst’s mission and Xcel Energy’s innovative approach to demonstrating new clean technologies at utility scale to improve commercialization and adoption. .
“Long-duration storage will be a critical part of creating a clean, affordable, and reliable grid, so we are proud to play a role in making these pioneering, first-of-its-kind utility-scale projects possible,” he said. Mario Fernandez. , director of Breakthrough Energy Catalyst. “By investing in clean energy storage solutions, Xcel Energy is laying the foundation for a net-zero future that is affordable and keeps the lights on regardless of the weather, and these projects will help accelerate our journey there.”
While most existing battery technologies provide less than eight hours of energy storage, Form Energy’s iron-air batteries could provide electricity for 100 hours at costs competitive with conventional power plants.
Greater renewable integration
The batteries will allow Xcel Energy to integrate more low-cost renewable energy into its system and maintain grid reliability as it phases out all of its coal plants by 2030.
Multi-day energy storage systems will strengthen the grid against the normal day. – to weather variability from one day, from one week to another and from one season to another, as well as extreme weather events, such as severe winter storms and polar vortex events.
In addition to the grant funds, Xcel Energy plans to use provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act, such as renewable energy tax credits, to further reduce the cost of iron-air batteries. The projects are expected to come online from 2025 and are subject to regulatory approvals in their respective states.
We would love to thank the writer of this article for this awesome web content
The Iron-Air batteries of Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos start working in the US