A123 Systems to supply energy storage solution to Maui Electric to support Maui smart grid project

A123 SYSTEMS

A123 Systems to supply energy storage solution to Maui Electric to support Maui smart grid project

A123 Systems, a developer and manufacturer of
Nanophosphate lithium ion batteries and systems, announced its agreement to
supply a Grid Battery System (GBS) to Maui Electric (MECO), a utility serving
residents and businesses on the islands of Maui, Lanai and Molokai in Hawaii.

MECO will install this advanced energy storage system at
its Wailea Substation on Maui. The system will deliver one-megawatt (1MW) of
power for a full hour to reduce the peak energy load on one of the substation’s
transformers to increase grid stability and improve power quality to help MECO
meet the objectives of the Maui Smart Grid Project.

A123’s GBS storage systems are designed to provide a
complete, turnkey solution and a number of services in addition to peak-load
shifting, including regulating voltage fluctuation, reactive power (VAR)
support and relieving wind curtailment.

“A123’s advanced energy storage system has
demonstrated the ability to shift peak energy loads when demand is high to
provide the consistent delivery of quality power, which is an extremely
valuable service that supports MECO’s ongoing effort to increase the
reliability of the grid and maximize the generation resources we have in
place,” said
Ed Reinhardt, president of Maui Electric.

This agreement with Maui Smart Grid Project is an
opportunity for A123 to showcase the flexibility of its GBS product, and A123
is looking forward to working with MECO to illustrate the value of its
technology within the framework of the next-generation electric grid.

“We believe that our energy storage system will help
MECO meet the ambitions objectives of the Maui Smart Grid Project and further
demonstrate the commercial benefits of our solutions,” said Robert
Johnson, vice president of the Energy Solutions Group at A123.
 

Led by MECO and the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, the
Maui Smart Grid Project is designed to help MECO demonstrate and evaluate new
technologies for operating the electric grid more efficiently.

The project enables residents to better manage and reduce
energy consumption during periods of high demand. Specific objectives include
reducing distribution circuit peak load, minimizing emissions, enabling greater
utilization of renewable energy sources and improving power quality and grid
stability.

“The Maui Smart Grid Project will enable us to
evaluate new technologies for enhancing our operations, and we look forward to
the successful demonstration of A123’s versatile energy storage solution in not
only meeting our peak load shifting requirements, but also performing a number
of additional valuable services,” Reinhardt added.

A123 Systems recently announced
that it is kicking off a pilot project with NSTAR to study the benefits of
employing the A123’s grid battery technology in a suburban
electric grid. The system, NSTAR’s first battery energy storage project, is
expected to be up and running in 2012 at a substation in Medway, MA.


By GreentechLead.com Team
[email protected]