The Snohomish County Public Utility District (PUD) has dedicated the first battery storage system built on the cutting-edge Modular Energy Storage Architecture (MESA), located at a substation in Everett, Washington, designed to improve reliability and the integration of renewable energy sources.
The project was made possible in part by a $7.3 million investment from the Washington Clean Energy Fund provided $7.3 million for the system ─ the first of several MESA energy storage projects the PUD is pursuing this year.
“Washington utilities are some of the most innovative in the world, and I applaud Snohomish PUD and its partners for making this commitment to cutting-edge technology that will help us lead the world’s clean energy economy — other states are watching your work!” said Washington State Governor Jay Inslee at the dedication ceremony. “It’s exciting to see investments from the state’s Clean Energy Fund advancing our goals to save energy and cut costs for Washington companies and consumers, reduce harmful emissions, and support jobs throughout the state.”
The utility’s project includes two large-scale lithium ion batteries at the Everett site, followed by a second project using multiple advanced vanadium flow battery technology later in 2015.
“The electrical grid needs to change to take on more renewable power, and standards-based storage and software will play major roles in that change,” PUD General Manager Steve Klein said. “MESA provides standard interfaces to bring more choices for utilities, reduces projects’ complexity and promises to lower costs.”
To support the Snohomish PUD project and the other Clean Energy Fund projects, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is working with participants to develop use cases, or detailed descriptions of the ways energy storage can increase renewable energy use and improve grid efficiency and resiliency. The PUD and the other utilities will consult these use cases as they implement and evaluate projects.
PNNL is also providing analytical and technical support, including conducting benefits analysis, designing test plans, and enhancing control strategies.
Modular Energy Storage Architecture (MESA) is an open, non-proprietary set of specifications and standards for energy storage in development by an industry consortium of electric utilities and technology suppliers. Through standardization, MESA accelerates interoperability, scalability, safety, quality, availability, and affordability in energy storage components and systems.
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