Duke Energy announced plans to install North Carolina’s two largest battery storage systems — which stands as a US$30 million investment as part of Duke Energy’s Western Carolinas Modernisation Plan.
Robert Sipes, vice president of Western Carolinas Modernisation for Duke Energy, said: "Duke Energy has experience with many battery storage projects around the nation. Western North Carolina is an ideal spot to use this technology to serve remote areas, or where extra resources are needed to help the existing energy infrastructure."
The two sites are just the first part of a larger plan Duke Energy has to spur energy storage in the region.
A 9MW lithium-ion battery system will be developed in the city of Asheville and placed at a Duke Energy substation. The battery will primarily be used to help the electric system operate more efficiently by providing energy support to the electric system, including frequency regulation and other grid support services.
The other energy storage system will be a 4MW lithium-ion battery system that will help improve electric reliability in the town of Hot Springs, located in Madison County.
Further details on the projects will be filed with the North Carolina Utilities Commission in early 2018. Both projects are expected to be online in 2019.