Gulf Power launches energy storage research and development project

Gulf Power, a subsidiary of Southern Power, recently began construction on an energy storage research and development project at its McCrary Storm and Training Center in Pensacola, Florida.

The McCrary Battery Energy Storage Demonstration, a 250-kilowatt/one-megawatt-hour Tesla Powerpack lithium-ion industrial energy storage system, is designed to help industrial and commercial customers store and use energy on demand while improving resiliency.

The project is designed to enhance companies’ understanding of siting, installation and operational requirements of industrial-scale storage systems, as well as the value that battery storage can create for customers and the energy provider.

“Solar energy can be stored in a battery system and used on demand as a 24/7 energy source,” Kimberly Blair, Gulf Power spokesperson, said. “And any source of energy can also be used to charge a battery system. A customer can reduce their energy demand by charging during off-peak energy usage times and using the battery during the peak energy usage times.”

Over the two-year testing period of the project, Gulf Power engineers and technical staff, Southern Company’s research and development team and local contractors will work together to refine industry standards and best practices for the interconnection requirements of the storage systems. The research is being done in collaboration with the Electric Power Research Institute’s Integrated Grid Initiative.

“The Southern Company energy storage research demonstrations were established to provide a technical foundation for future electric grid integration and use,” Blair said. “The company has long viewed the development of efficient, economic energy storage as a potential game-changer for renewables. In addition, this technology can result in increased reliability and reduced prices for customers.”