Megawatt-Class Storage for Renewable Source Grid Integration
____________________________________________________________________________
PROBLEM As Hawaii adds more solar power, new turn-key technologies are needed to ensure grid reliability and efficiency.
PROJECT HNU Energy will install a 1-MWh lithium-ion battery on Maui to smooth the short-term variability of solar and to supply energy in the evening during peak demand, enabling more renewable energy to come online.
AWARD $2,002,963 (HREDV 50%, private 50%)
LOCATION Kihei, Maui
PARTNERS
- International Battery, Inc.
- Satcon
- Maui Electric Company
SUMMARY
HNU Energy will install a 1-MWh lithium-ion battery on Maui to smooth the short-term variability of solar and to supply energy in the evening during peak demand, enabling more renewable energy to come online.
HNU is a Maui-based energy company and engineering firm that offers renewable energy, energy storage, and high-efficiency lighting for residential and commercial customers. The company name derives from the formula defining the energy contained in one photon of light: each photon possesses energy equal to Planck’s constant (h) multiplied by its frequency ν (a Greek letter nu pronounced “new”).
HNU will design, integrate, and demonstrate an integrated storage system for the integration of intermittent renewables onto the grid. The project will demonstrate a 1-MWh battery bank comprised of large-format Lithium battery cells and a 1-MW power conversion system – housed in a standard container. In addition to housing the battery cells and inverters, the standard container will also hold ancillary equipment for turnkey operation: battery management, climate control, and fire suppression.
The objective of the Megawatt-Class Storage for Renewable Source Grid Integration project is to demonstrate a 1-MWh turnkey battery storage solution to prove the ability to stabilize a 1-MW variable energy source. It will also demonstrate how well subsets of the full battery storage (e.g., 30%, 50%) can stabilize the 1-MW source. The International Battery storage system that will be demonstrated is a 100% green-manufactured, high-power battery that can stabilize megawatt-scale wind turbines or solar arrays. Power smoothing will be demonstrated at multiples of the capacity rating of the battery system, showing that stringent power requirements can be met with a smaller battery. The result will be a successful demonstration of a superior battery technology that is commercially ready for utility-scale renewable energy applications. Data will be collected within the operational environment and analyzed to show the ability to provide ramp up/down and power smoothing for a utility distribution line with significant solar energy.
The project will:
- Design and construct a containerized, turnkey, grid-tied, 1-MWh Lithium-ion battery storage system with individual cell monitoring and balancing system, and DC to AC power electronics;
- Integrate the 1-MWh Lithium battery with a utility grid distribution line at a Maui Electric Company substation with significant renewable energy sources;
- Thoroughly test the integrated battery, battery management, and grid-tied power electronics system; and
- Collect 60-90 days worth of operational data from the Integrated Storage System.
The objectives of the effort are to:
- Conduct a successful Technology Readiness Level 7 pre-commercial demonstration;
- Demonstrate the benefits of Lithium-ion battery technology for MW-scale grid stabilization and renewable energy applications;
- Demonstrate the utility of multiple C-rate discharging operations to provide high power ramping and power smoothing of large wind (or solar) farms; and
- Assess the applicability of a containerized turn-key design to large scale energy storage.