New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC), a member-owned electric distribution cooperative, has completed its first utility-scale energy storage project. The 2.45 MW battery project was developed in partnership with ENGIE North America, a provider of energy storage services.
ENGIE will own and operate the battery unit, which is located on the site of NHEC’s 2 MW solar array in Moultonborough, N.H. The battery unit will charge from NHEC’s distribution system during times of low demand and discharge during periods of peak regional electricity use. By discharging during hours of peak electric usage, the battery will save NHEC’s members money on regional market and delivery charges while reducing demand on the grid.
As part of the partnership agreement with ENGIE, NHEC will discharge the battery to supply energy to its members up to 70 times per year. The battery project will provide NHEC with insight and direct experience into how battery storage technologies interact with its electrical system and respond to price signals and will be used to reduce NHEC’s transmission charges and regional capacity payments. NHEC estimates these discharges will save its members $2.3 million over the next 12 years.
“Energy storage is a rapidly evolving technology that has a key place in our strategic vision for our business model of the future,” says Steve Camerino, president and CEO of NHEC. “It’s important for NHEC to gain firsthand experience with batteries so we can better understand the benefits they have to offer our members and the operation of our system. As more co-op members install their own batteries, NHEC needs to be ready to support them with a flexible, responsive grid.”
The battery storage unit is the largest in New Hampshire and can fully charge or discharge within two hours. NHEC and ENGIE received all necessary approvals from the town of Moultonborough. The battery is housed in a prefabricated 40-foot container and has on-site fire suppression equipment and will be monitored 24 hours a day, year-round.
