Up from the (coal) ashes energy storage blooms

November 19, 2015 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

The site of a 1950s-era coal plant has been resurrected using new technology thanks to Duke Energy, LG Chem and Greensmith.

Credit: Casanowe

The group recently began operations of a 2 MW battery-based energy storage system -- designed to increase reliability and stability on the electric power grid -- at Duke Energy's retired W.C. Beckjord coal-fired power plant in New Richmond, Ohio.

The fast-response system, on which construction began in August, has been actively regulating electric grid frequency for PJM, the regional transmission organization that directs the flow of electricity for 61 million people in 13 states and the District of Columbia, since it started operations on November 17.

"Locating the storage system at our retired coal plant allowed us to take advantage of the grid infrastructure already in place and repurpose the site for use with new, relevant technology," said Phil Grigsby, Duke Energy's senior vice president of Commercial Transmission. "This system is another step for Duke in the development of turnkey energy storage solutions that benefit customers and demonstrate the potential for future applications, such as large-scale integration of renewable energy onto the grid."

Improving the reliability and economic efficiency of the electric grid provides a unique service to grid operators. As customer demand fluctuates, accurate and rapid response energy storage can instantaneously absorb excess energy from the grid or release energy in seconds -- as opposed to a power plant that could take 10 minutes or more to ramp up.

LG Chem delivered the project's energy storage operating system, comprised of advanced lithium-ion batteries; while Greensmith provided its latest GEMS energy storage software platform to manage the system's performance for PJM frequency regulation, ensuring precise and synchronized response to signals dispatched every two seconds.

The 2 MW project adds to Duke Energy's installed base of commercially operating energy storage systems. With the completion of the new project, the company will operate a total of 4 MW of energy storage at Beckjord, where a separate 2 MW battery system already exists. Duke Energy also owns and operates a 36 MW energy storage system at its Notrees Windpower Project in Texas.

Duke Energy owns nearly 15 percent of the grid-connected, battery-based energy storage capacity in the U.S., according to research firm IHS Energy.

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