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Metlakatla Power & Light (MP&L),  Metlakatla, Alaska

Application

Grid-Connected Energy Storage That Works Technically, Economically and Environmentally

Requirements

The island village of Metlakatla, Alaska sought to stabilize the community’s utility grid by providing instantaneous power into the grid when demand was high from local industry, and to absorb excess power from the grid to allow its hydroelectric-generating units to operate under steady-state conditions. The challenge was to demonstrate the technical and economic justification for a battery-based system in the operating environment of an electric utility, where battery performance, maintenance and life are critical factors.

Solution

A 1 MW/1.4 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), utilizing Exide’s ABSOLYTE® valve-regulated lead-acid battery, was installed at MP&L’s facilities. Between February 1997 and September 2008, the BESS resulted in a substantial net savings, while reducing fuel oil consumption, carbon footprint, noise and risk of oil spills. This installation supports the viability of battery-based energy storage for large-scale systems and reflects the potential to utilize lead-acid technology for storing renewable energy such as wind and solar power.