July 08, 2014
3 battery plans tied to PNNL, D.O.E. will integrate renewable energy, enhance power grid
RICHLAND, Wash. - 3 Washington state utilities have been awarded $14.3 million in matching grants from the state's new Clean Energy Fund to lead energy storage plans with ties to federally funded research at the D.O.E.'s Pacific Northwest National Lab.
Gov. Jay Inslee and the state Department of Business announced the grants today at the Mukilteo, Wash., facility of UniEnergy Technologies, which is also known as UET and has licensed PNNL battery technology. 2 of the winning utilities will install UET's all-vanadium redox flow batteries as part of their projects. PNNL developed the battery technology with 6 years of backing from DOE's Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability.
"We're using our Clean Energy Fund to position Washington state as a leader in energy storage and work with utilities to develop technologies and strategies that will move the market for renewables forward," said Gov. Inslee. "Delivering operational value for our utilities is crucial if we're going to successfully develop and deploy clean energy technologies that save energy and reduce energy costs, reduce carbon emissions, and increase our energy independence."
"As a national lab, PNNL strives to help the entire nation access clean, reliable energy and strengthen the power grid's resilience," said PNNL Director Mike Kluse. "But it's with particular pride that we see our own research and development being implemented in such innovative plans right here in our home state."
National expertise for the Northwest
To support these projects, PNNL has worked with the state, utilities, technology companies and university researchers to develop detailed descriptions of the various ways energy storage can increase renewable energy use and enhance grid efficiency and resiliency. The utilities will consult these descriptions, called use cases, as they implement and evaluate their individual projects.
PNNL is also expected to provide analytical and technical support for the projects. PNNL will conduct benefits analysis, compile field data needed for use cases that help utilities and regulators understand the long-term benefits of new technologies, design projects for acceptance testing and strengthen control strategies. In addition, PNNL projects to collaborate with Washington State University to develop a battery control system for one plan and intends to work with the University of Washington's Clean Energy Institute to share benefits experienced during the projects.
Building on federal research
Results from these Washington state-based demonstrations are expected to contribute to national energy storage efforts. Today's announcement builds on federal investments in Pacific Northwest grid modernization initiatives, including the Pacific Northwest Smart Grid Demonstration Plan, the nation's biggest regional smart grid demonstration project, and Smart Grid Investment Grant funding.
"The Energy Department's smart grid technology investments and deployment efforts are helping to build a more resilient electric grid that helps communities adapt to increased severe weather events and to enable the integration of distributed and renewable energy resources that mitigate environmental emissions," said Patricia Hoffman, assistant secretary for DOE's Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability. "Today's announcement is another important step in enabling industry and our National Labs to continue working together to enhance the resiliency, efficiency, and security of the nation's grid."
3 energy storage plans
The winning utilities' plans and their ties to PNNL and D.O.E. are described below:
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Avista Utilities of Spokane, Wash., was awarded $3.2 million. Its Plan includes installing a UET flow battery in Pullman, Wash., to support WSU's smart campus operations. PNNL will collaborate with WSU to develop a control strategy for this project. Avista is participating in the Pacific Northwest Smart Grid Demonstration Plan and previously received a D.O.E. Smart Grid Investment Grant.
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Puget Sound Energy of Bellevue, Wash., was awarded $3.8 million. Its Plan includes installing a lithium-ion battery. As part of a previous Plan that was jointly funded by the Bonneville Power Administration, Primus Power, Puget Sound Energy and DOE, PNNL analyzed the costs and benefits associated with installing energy storage at various sites within PSE's service territory.
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Snohomish Co. Public Utility District No. one of Everett, Wash., was awarded $7.3 million. Its Plan includes installing a UET flow battery and a lithium-ion battery. This Plan builds on experience gained and equipment and technologies installed with a D.O.E. Smart Grid Investment Grant.
Gov. Jay Inslee, D.O.E. Assistant Secretary Patricia Hoffman and Jud Virden, who leads PNNL's Energy & Environment Directorate, were among the officials who spoke at today's event.
For more information about the state-funded projects, click here.
Tags: Energy, Technology Transfer and Commercialization, Renewable Energy, Batteries, Smart Grid, Economic Development, Licensing
Interdisciplinary teams at Pacific Northwest National Lab address many of America's most pressing issues in energy, the environment and national security through advances in basic and applied science. Founded in 1965, PNNL employs 4,300 staff and has an yearly budget of about $950 million. It is managed by Battelle for the D.O.E.'s Office of Science. As the single biggest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, the Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information on PNNL, visit the PNNL News Center, or follow PNNL on Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and Twitter.