First battery storage project begins operating in MISO
The Midcontinent ISO has been working to reform market rules, aiming to entice storage providers to develop projects. IPL’s facility, which has now been online almost two months, is the first project in the market to connect to the grid.
“IPL is committed to developing energy solutions that balance affordability for our customers and the impact on the environment,” IPL President and CEO Rafael Sanchez said in a statement. “This array provides an innovative approach to helping address the challenges that come with diversifying our energy mix with more wind and solar resources.”
IPL’s “Advancion” energy storage platform was recognized with the 2016 International Edison Award for helping to accelerate the integration clean energy. Samsung SDI and Parker Hanfinn supplied components to the project, and Casteel Corp. constructed the remainder.
The storage will help IPL shift towards cleaner sources. The utility said that by next spring, the majority of its IPL’s generating capacity will come from a combination of natural gas, wind and solar.
According to an IPL blog post, the project uses lithium ion batteries and eventually, the utility will use them to provide “additional services to support reliability while continuing to control frequency as part of providing reliable service to our customers.”
