Source: Flickr/Arran Bee
E.ON Climate & Renewables North America is to build a 10MW battery energy storage facility with a 2MW solar array in collaboration with Arizonan utility Tucson Electric Power (TEP). The Iron Horse Battery Energy Storage Project is expected to be completed in the first half of 2017.
The grid-scale facility will provide frequency response and voltage control, and will be situated adjacent to the University of Arizona’s Science and Technology Park, southeast of Tucson.
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"E.ON, as a provider of global energy solutions, is proud of our ability to work with a utility like TEP to provide innovative grid reliability solutions benefiting their customers. Beyond providing grid-scale battery storage capabilities, E.ON has partnered with utilities to provide energy through PPAs and to complete quality turnkey solar facilities," said Steve Trenholm, president of E.ON Solar, in a statement.
E.ON is developing the project with California-based storage software provider Greensmith Energy, to enhance TEP’s contribution to grid stability by providing ancillary services throughout the 10-year contract.
"We're working very hard to build a more resilient grid in a cost-effective way for our customers, and exploring energy storage technologies is an important aspect of our efforts,” said Carmine Tilghman, a TEP senior director, in a statement. “E.ON provides both innovative technologies and a wealth of expertise that will help us to achieve our long-term renewable energy and resource planning goals."
In addition to supplementing TEP's grid management capabilities, E.ON also provides energy to TEP from its 6.6MW Tech Park Solar plant and 13.2MW Valencia Solar facility, as well as partnering on the turnkey construction of TEP's 17.2MW solar facility at the Fort Huachuca Army Base near Sierra Vista in Arizona.
