US-based NEC Energy Solutions has said a lithium-ion BESS it is set to install in Massachusetts will be part of “the world’s largest wind-paired energy storage system for commercial-scale energy”.
NEC ES has signed a letter of intent to work with utility Bay State Wind, a 50-50 partnership between Danish wind firm Orsted and New England transmission builder Eversource to integrate the 55MW/110MWh BESS with a 800MW wind farm.
The proposed wind farm will be some 25 miles off the Massachusetts south coast and 15 miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard.
According to NEC ES, the project will help the state “overcome winter reliability challenges, reduce winter peak energy prices and price volatility”. The company said it estimates “the annual winter price reduction would be approximately $158 million each year and will enhance grid stability by shifting energy delivery to meet demand”.
CEO Steve Fludder said the BESS was “crucial to growing our battery storage systems in Massachusetts, across America, and around the world”.
Massachusetts is encouraging battery storage deployment towards a statewide target of 200MWh battery capacity by 2020.
Last month, US-based Greensmith Energy Storage Technology, a subsidiary of Finland’s Wärtsilä Corporation, said it had been selected to install a 1 MW/2MWh battery system in the state using LG Chem batteries and Sungrow inverters.
Earlier this year, Orsted said it had invested in the launch of a pilot lithium-ion energy storage facility in Taiwan.
