AES Reveals Another Energy Storage Alternative To Peaking Power Plants
Energy storage leader AES recently revealed its new energy storage platform for commercial deployments. AES installed one of its systems in Maryland, and it is the largest grid-scale battery in that state. Brian Perusse, VP of International Market Development for AES, answered some questions about the platform for CleanTechnica.
In what ways is the Advancion 4 system a better alternative to peaking power plants?
Advancion 4 saves customers money, reduces emissions, provides more flexibility, and is more reliable than a peaking power plant. Advancion arrays are continuously and instantly available without burning a fuel in “standby mode” and can deliver cheaper energy than a peaking power plant. The arrays serve as both generation and load, marking a turning point in grid flexibility and renewable integration, by giving power producers more than twice the flexibility compared to a gas peaker plant on the same interconnection. Advancion can deliver power significantly faster, more reliably and with more accuracy than a gas peaker and thus helps improve both the reliability and efficiency of the whole power grid.
What is the capacity in megawatts and megawatt-hours?
Advancion 4 has a unique scalable design that allows for standard configurations from 100kW to over 1,000 MW, and from 15-minutes of duration to over four hours without any reengineering. The largest AES Energy Storage project to-date is a 100 MW Advancion Array, that will deliver 400 MWh of energy to Southern California Edison.
What is the cost of a system?
System costs vary depending on the size, duration, and online date of the project.
Does it work well with renewable energy like solar power?
Yes, Advancion provides flexibility, peak capability, and grid-stabilizing capabilities that are critical for integrating renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, into our electric grid. Even better, Advancion does not need to be collocated with renewable generation; it can be sited at critical points on the grid, and still deliver the same benefits to renewable energy.
What makes the Advancion system suitable for commercial operations like utilities?
Advancion 4 is among the most proven energy storage platforms available, resulting from AES’ more than eight years of commercial experience operating grid-connected energy storage. AES developed, owns and operates the largest fleet of grid connected energy storage, with nearly 3 million megawatt-hours of service delivered. Advancion 4 delivers the highest reliability, has the lowest total cost of ownership, and is available to utilities, developers and power system operators to own directly or through a managed service contract.
