Westinghouse Electric has achieved a significant milestone by securing a substantial $50 million grant from the US Department of Energy (DoE) to advance its ambitious 1.2 gigawatt-hour long-duration energy storage system in Healy, Alaska.
This groundbreaking project is being spearheaded by Westinghouse in collaboration with the Golden Valley Electric Association, a cooperative electric utility serving the state of Alaska. The primary objective of this energy storage endeavor is to provide crucial support to a planned wind farm, marking one of the most extensive single installations of a long-duration energy storage project in the United States.
Central to this project's innovation is the utilization of a pumped thermal energy storage (PTES) system, aiming to demonstrate the reliability of renewable power at a grid scale while bolstering grid resiliency. Notably, it also presents a unique opportunity to assess the feasibility of high-temperature, long-duration storage solutions in cold climates, a critical consideration for regions like Alaska.
The PTES system employs a heat pump that harnesses electricity and converts it into heat, which is then stored in cost-effective concrete blocks. When needed, the stored energy is efficiently converted back into electricity using a heat engine. Furthermore, this innovative system incorporates a low-cost, ice-based, low-temperature reservoir, adding another layer of efficiency to the energy storage process.
Westinghouse's President and CEO, Patrick Fragman, expressed their dedication to advancing clean energy solutions, stating, “Westinghouse is dedicated to powering the future with clean energy solutions. Our long-duration energy storage system enables higher penetration of renewables on the grid to achieve decarbonization goals without sacrificing overall stability. We thank the DoE's Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations for this opportunity to showcase groundbreaking technology.”
This state-of-the-art storage system is positioned to address the challenges encountered by other long-duration energy storage applications, including traditional lithium-ion batteries. Notably, it boasts the capability to provide over ten hours of energy storage at a favorable levelized cost, positioning it as a formidable contender in the energy storage landscape.
The grant from the US Department of Energy will play a pivotal role in facilitating the demonstration of the storage system's ability to reliably provide up to ten hours of energy storage at a large utility scale. The deployment is expected to occur in phases, with the initial phase dedicated to validating the technology's viability.
Westinghouse's ambitious project underscores the nation's commitment to advancing sustainable energy solutions and grid reliability, setting a promising precedent for the future of long-duration energy storage technology.
