A US energy technology player has announced plans to start construction of two 20MW/20MWh front-of-the-meter battery energy storage systems (BESS) in New Jersey.
Ormat Technologies said it will finance, build, own and operate the systems in Plumsted Township and Alpha through its wholly-owned subsidiary Viridity Energy Solutions.
Each BESS features LG Chem’s lithium-ion batteries and will be used to help balance the grid. The systems are expected to start operations in the fourth quarter of this year and “generate between $7 million and $8m of average revenues for the company in the next year”, Ormat said.
In addition, Viridity has announced completion of a separate 1MWh behind-the-meter battery storage project at the site of the Atlantic County Utility Authority’s (AUCA) ‘ecological green facility’ in Atlantic City. The battery stores power generated by the facility’s 7.5MW wind farm and 500 kilowatts of solar energy, to be released as needed.
Viridity will own and operate the AUCA battery system for 20 years. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities awarded a $300,000 grant to help fund the project.