Arizona Public Service (APS) has picked AES Corp. to deliver a 100-MW, 4-hour duration battery-based energy storage system to provide grid stability in combination with renewable energy resources.
AES will own and operate the project set to begin operations in June 2021. The energy storage system will provide critical peaking capacity and operational flexibility help enable efficient use of renewable energy on the grid.
Under a 20-year agreement, AES will provide APS with the storage capabilities powered by Fluence’s proven Advancion platform.
“Arizona is realizing its great solar potential. As the state continues its transition to more sustainable energy sources, customers will require cost-effective and reliable electricity,” said Andrés Gluski, AES president and CEO. “Energy storage can replace traditional peaking thermal generation to meet peak power demands while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and maximizing the use of renewable energy. We look forward to our continued partnership with APS to help the state and its customers accelerate a greener energy future through the broader adoption of energy storage.”
The ability for batteries to absorb and discharge power has great value for regions pursuing high levels of renewable energy, such as Arizona. The storage system will collect energy when the sun is shining and then give it back during peak hours when its capacity is needed most by customers. By releasing solar energy when it has traditionally been unavailable, customers will have continuous access to a cleaner, more reliable energy mix.
“By delivering solar after sunset, these projects with AES signal a new direction for how we can meet our customers’ peak need for energy with an increasingly clean mix of resources,” said Brad Albert, Vice President, Resource Management for APS. “This work with AES is also part of a long-term transition to larger roles for renewable and storage technologies in Arizona’s energy future.”
This partnership is part of APS’s plan to add nearly one GW of clean energy projects by 2025. In 2017, AES began operations on Arizona’s first standalone battery peaker, a 4 MW energy storage system for APS with enough storage capacity to power 1,000 homes.
A pair of 2 MW Advancion energy storage arrays were deployed as part of the APS Solar Partner Program (SPP) and deliver energy to customers at the time of day when electricity is in greatest demand and most expensive. The existing system has allowed APS to maintain reliable service for solar customers while the sun is down and solar panels are not producing power.
