RES to install two 19.8-MW energy storage systems in US

Nov 11, 2014 - Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc, or RES Americas, said today it will construct two 19.8-MW energy storage centres outside of Chicago, Illinois.

The US wind and solar project developer, part of UK-based RES Group, will initiate the installation of the systems this winter, with plans to complete them by August 2015. Each of the centres will be able to store 7.8 MWh of energy and will have a lifespan of at least 10 years.

RES Americas has bought the projects from Glidepath Power during their development phase in September 2014. They will be the largest, fully commercial energy storage systems in all of North America, the company noted. The two centres are interconnected to the Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) electric grid.

BYD America, a unit of Chinese rechargeable batteries maker BYD Co Ltd (HKG:1211), will deliver the battery storage modules for the projects. In the meantime, RES Americas will develop the needed energy storage control and dispatch systems.

Energy storage is becoming viable as intermittent renewables are now undermining traditional power assets in wholesale energy markets, Navigant Research said in a recent report. The market research firm forecasts that global revenue from energy storage for the grid and ancillary services will surge to USD 15.6 billion (EUR 12.6bn) in 2024 from just USD 675 million in 2014. The installed capacity of such projects is expected to jump to 20.8 GW in the next ten years from 538.4 MW presently.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.805)

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