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The World’s Largest Storage Battery
Many homeowners are installing solar energy systems with battery backup. Energy stored in the battery can be used when the sun isn’t shining. As battery prices come down, utility-scale solar installations are also turning to battery-based energy storage.
Florida Power & Light has announced plans to build the world’s
largest solar-storage combination facility in Manatee County. The 409-MW Manatee Energy Storage Center will
be the largest solar-battery system by a factor of four. The specifics of the technology and source of
the battery system components have yet to be announced.
The system, which is scheduled to be completed in late 2021, will be
charged by a nearby FPL solar power plant.
The plan is to discharge batteries during times of higher demand,
thereby offsetting the need to run other power plants. As a result, there will be reduced emissions
and customers will save as much as $100 million through avoided fuel costs.
Installing the mega-sized battery system will accelerate the
retirements of two nearby 1970’s-era gas-fired generation units. At peak efficiency, the Manatee energy
storage system will be able to power 390,000 homes for up to two hours.
FPL has already been pursuing the use of battery storage
technology. Last year, they added a 10
MW battery storage system to its 74.5 MW Babcock Ranch Solar Energy Center in
Charlotte County.
These large battery systems are increasingly practical because of
dramatic reductions in lithium-ion battery costs. The levelized cost of electricity from
lithium-ion batteries has declined a remarkable 38% just since the beginning of
2018. The economics of clean energy
continue to get better and better.
**********
Web Links
FP&L Plans World’s Largest Energy Storage Battery To Support Its Renewable Energy Goals
Photo, posted April 21, 2010, courtesy of Frank Starmer via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.
View all episodes
By Randy Simon
4.7
1515 ratings
Many homeowners are installing solar energy systems with battery backup. Energy stored in the battery can be used when the sun isn’t shining. As battery prices come down, utility-scale solar installations are also turning to battery-based energy storage.
Florida Power & Light has announced plans to build the world’s
largest solar-storage combination facility in Manatee County. The 409-MW Manatee Energy Storage Center will
be the largest solar-battery system by a factor of four. The specifics of the technology and source of
the battery system components have yet to be announced.
The system, which is scheduled to be completed in late 2021, will be
charged by a nearby FPL solar power plant.
The plan is to discharge batteries during times of higher demand,
thereby offsetting the need to run other power plants. As a result, there will be reduced emissions
and customers will save as much as $100 million through avoided fuel costs.
Installing the mega-sized battery system will accelerate the
retirements of two nearby 1970’s-era gas-fired generation units. At peak efficiency, the Manatee energy
storage system will be able to power 390,000 homes for up to two hours.
FPL has already been pursuing the use of battery storage
technology. Last year, they added a 10
MW battery storage system to its 74.5 MW Babcock Ranch Solar Energy Center in
Charlotte County.
These large battery systems are increasingly practical because of
dramatic reductions in lithium-ion battery costs. The levelized cost of electricity from
lithium-ion batteries has declined a remarkable 38% just since the beginning of
2018. The economics of clean energy
continue to get better and better.
**********
Web Links
FP&L Plans World’s Largest Energy Storage Battery To Support Its Renewable Energy Goals
Photo, posted April 21, 2010, courtesy of Frank Starmer via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.
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