AEP To Deploy Additional Large-Scale Batteries on Distribution Grid

[jpak]

http://www.renewableaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=49926

As part of an effort to integrate new technologies for reliability, renewable energy, and energy efficiency to meet customers' future needs, American Electric Power (AEP) is expanding its use of large-scale battery technology on its electricity grid.

AEP will be adding stationary sodium sulfur (NAS) battery technology in its West Virginia and Ohio service territories next year.

The company will also work with wind developers to identify a third location within AEP’s 11-state service territory for NAS battery deployment next year, using the storage capability to help offset the intermittent nature of wind generation.

AEP has placed an order for the three new NAS batteries with NGK Insulators Ltd. of Japan, the manufacturer and co-developer, along with the Tokyo Electric Power Co., of the technology. AEP anticipates delivery in spring 2008. The six megawatts (MW) added to AEP’s system during this deployment is a step toward the company’s goal of having 1,000 MW of advanced storage capacity on its system in the next decade.

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[kestrel91316]

1. But, but THAT won't work!! Electricity can't be stored!!!!!!!!!1!!1!!111

[Massacure]

2. $27 million dollars to store six megawatt (hours I assume). Thats $4,500 a kWh

Pretty expensive storage.

[Dead_Parrot]

4. funky design...

http://www.ngk.co.jp/english/products/power/nas/index.html

I would have expected a flow battery design, but they seem to consist of... well, giant AA cells in a box:



Not being able to just add electrolyte is going to yank the price up. Maybe somebody with a bit more chem. can weigh in and tell me why this might be?

[skids]

6. Because the electrolyte is kept at 350 degrees celcius?

These are closed cell systems for very good reasons :-)

[Dead_Parrot]

7. Ahem

I read that as 30 in the specs. :dunce:

Yeah, that would explain it.
:blush:

[skids]

5. Yes, expensive but also depends how often you cycle them.

These batteries are too expensive, except if viewed as an expenditure bootstrapping the tech.

However wholesale electricity prices fluctuate a lot during the day, sometimes they even double/half from the average.
And they do this more than once a day. Whether you can make a power storage system profitable really depends on how
much you can hold onto, how efficiently, and how fast you can dump it once the price is right. Since the prices
fluctuate more than once a day, you can push more Wh of energy per day than the battery is rated.

You could conceivably make money just tying the right battery system to the grid and buying/selling power, without even the renewable component.

(On edit it looks like NAS batteries tend to have a C of 1/4 to 1/6, so it's actually probably about 4 to 6 times as many MWh as the rated MW.)

[jpak]

8. You really need to check your math and units

It's 1000 MW oof storage (not MWh) - and if indeed cost $27 million for 6 GW, that would be a bargain @ $4.5/kW

(compared to >$5500/kW for the last nucular plant built in the US)

[Dead_Parrot]

9. So you are suggesting...

...that these batteries, once charged up, will supply 6MW indefinitely? That's a good trick. I guess we can all go home now, the energy crisis is over.

BTW, $4.5/kW would indeed be a bargain, but I have no idea where you got 6GW from. The article says "six megawatts (MW)".

You really need to check your math and units, y'know. :)

[jpak]

10. LOL! (and touche)

note to self...

unplug computer before ingesting percocet...

:evilgrin:

[Dead_Parrot]

11. Well, having mixed up 300 and 30 degrees

earlier in the thread, I'm in no position to be taking to piss too much.

:D

[Dead_Parrot]

3. AEP Newroom article here...

http://www.aep.com/newsroom/newsreleases/default.asp?dbcommand=DisplayRelease&ID=1397 which is a bit longer.

Interestingly, they talk about "megawatts of advanced storage capacity" as well. It's rather disturbing to see an energy company that doesn't know what energy is. :(

[FREEWILL56]

12. Because it is a different kind of energy.

It's that hot wind energy we all know as bullshit. By their own standards of thinking, the energy needs for the next year should be met with all of the battery power presently in our cars. Problem is batteries do have to be recharged and there is a loss in that charge process too. See the energy you get out of it can't equal or exceed what went into it.