IPL’s Advancion Energy Storage Array goes live
The Indianapolis Power & Light Company (IPL), a subsidiary of the AES Corporation, announced on Thursday at the White House Summit that its award-winning Advancion Energy Storage Array is live for commercial use.
IPL made its announcement as part of the White House Summit on renewables and energy storage’s panel of leaders in clean energy.
AES was awarded the Edison Electric Institute’s (EEI) 2016 International Edison Award last week for its innovation on the Advancion Array. IPL was one of the eight finalists for the U.S. category of the award, and was recognized at the EEI’s Annual Convention in Chicago last week for its solar storage system. The EEI’s Edison Award is the highest honor in the industry.
“IPL is transforming its generation fleet and taking an all-of-the-above approach to create innovative energy solutions,” IPL President and CEO Rafael Sanchez said. “The way IPL is diversifying its energy mix will significantly reduce dependence on coal while keeping costs competitive.”
The Advancion Array is a grid-scale, battery-based energy storage system that will provide primary frequency response to enhance the reliability of a nation’s grids. The facility can match the supply and demand of electricity instantaneously, and will be able to regulate other energy sources, such as solar and wind power. The system is the first of its kind across the Midcontinent Independent System Operato 15-state region, and it is the only primary frequency response system of its size in the U.S.
The facility is located in Indianapolis at the IPL Harding Street Station.
