Electric Co-op Today

A Hawaii co-op is moving to reduce grid stability concerns posed by a planned 3 megawatt solar photovoltaic system by adding a battery storage system to the project.

A battery storage system like this will help a Hawaii co-op enhance the reliability of a new solar project. (Photo By: Xtreme Power)

Līhu’e-based Kaua’i Island Utility Cooperative has agreed to purchase a 1.5 MW utility-scale battery storage system from a Texas-based company.

The co-op selected Xtreme Power’s Dynamic Power Resources system for the project based on its ability to stabilize intermittent resources like solar photovoltaic systems. Both the battery system and the solar project will feed into the co-op’s Koloa substation.

“KIUC is presented with a unique set of challenges in terms of grid stability,” said John Cox, the co-op’s senior electrical engineer and project manager.

The battery system is designed to respond to fluctuations within microseconds, providing operators with better control and enabling them to maintain a predictable flow of power from the solar farm to the electric grid. The battery system will also enhance system reliability during other events such as a loss of generation or system faults.

Directors of Hawaii’s only electric co-op are officially committed to meeting 50 percent of the co-op’s demand with renewable resources by 2023, said David Bissell, the co-op’s acting CEO. “We are working towards 50 percent renewable in half that time.”

The co-op is determined to reduce its dependence upon diesel fuel, which must be transported long distances. Several projects, including biofuels, hydropower and biomass, in addition to the photovoltaic and battery storage projects, are planned or under development.

“KIUC is not just accelerating its goals; we are reinventing how Kaua’i is powered,” said Phil Tacbian, chairman of KIUC’s board of directors. “Our cooperative is serious about eliminating Kaua‘i’s dependence on fossil fuel.”

Tags: Power Supply, R&D, Renewable Energy