Kauaʻi Utility Signs Deal With SolarCity for First Dispatchable Solar Storage System

Līhu‘e, Kaua‘i – Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with SolarCity (Nasdaq: SCTY) for electricity from the first utility-scale solar array and battery storage system designed to supply power to the grid in the evening, when demand is highest. The proposed SolarCity project next to KIUC’s Kapaia power plant is believed to be the first utility-scale system in the U.S. to provide dispatchable solar energy, meaning that the utility can count on electricity being available when it’s needed, even hours after the sun goes down. The 52 MWh battery system will feed up to 13 megawatts of electricity onto the grid to “shave” the amount of conventional power generation needed to meet the evening peak, which lasts from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. By using the solar energy stored in the battery instead of diesel generators, KIUC will reduce its use of imported fossil fuels and also cut its greenhouse gas emissions. Under the terms of the 20-year contract, KIUC will pay SolarCity a lower rate than the current cost of conventional generation and only slightly more than the cost of energy from KIUC’s two existing 12 megawatt solar arrays, whose output is available only during the day. “KIUC has been investigating energy storage options for more than two years and price has always been the biggest challenge,” said David Bissell, President and CEO of KIUC. “This is a breakthrough project on technology and on price that enables us to move solar energy to the peak demand hours in the evening and reduce the amount of fossil fuel we’re using.” “SolarCity is excited to bring the first dispatchable solar storage system to the island of Kaua‘i. Hawai‘i has been and continues to be at the forefront of new technology and research for solar and storage,” said Jon Yoshimura, Director of Policy and Electricity Markets for SolarCity. “This solution will allow for more efficient load balancing and will reduce dependence on fossil fuel-based power.” Pending state and county approvals, the array and battery storage facility will be built on 50 acres of land owned by Grove Farm Company, Inc. adjacent to KIUC’s Kapaia power station off Mā‘alo Road, just north of Līhu‘e. KIUC has requested an accelerated timetable for approval by the Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission. To qualify for federal investment tax credits that will substantially reduce the cost of the project, construction work must begin by April 2016 so the project can be in commercial operation by December 31, 2016. SolarCity was the contractor on KIUC’s first 12-megawatt solar array in Kōloa, which went into commercial operation in September 2014 and supplies about 5 percent of Kaua‘i’s electricity.
About KIUC
KIUC is a member-owned cooperative serving 33,000 customers on the island of Kaua‘i. Formed in 2002 and governed by a nine-member, elected board of directors, KIUC is one of 930 electric co-ops serving more than 36 million members in 47 states.
About SolarCity
SolarCity® (NASDAQ: SCTY) provides clean energy. The company has disrupted the century-old energy industry by providing renewable electricity directly to homeowners, businesses and government organizations for less than they spend on utility bills. SolarCity gives customers control of their energy costs to protect them from rising rates. The company makes solar energy easy by taking care of everything from design and permitting to monitoring and maintenance. Visit the company online at www.solarcity.com and follow the company on Facebook & Twitter.


SolarCity selects Tesla batteries for Kauai solar+storage project

SolarCity has chosen Tesla to supply a 52 MWh utility-scale energy storage system destined for the Hawaiian island of Kauai. The storage system will back up a 13 MW solar array SolarCity is building for the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC). The Tesla Powerpack lithium-ion battery system will feed up to 13 MW to the grid to shave the amount of conventional power generation needed to meet peak demand between 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. SolarCity says its solar-plus-storage project next to KIUC’s Kapaia power plant is the first utility-scale system in the United States to provide “dispatchable” solar power that is available after the sun goes down. As much as the island’s abundant solar energy, the project benefits from the high rates of traditional generation on the island, which has to be fired by imported fuel. Under the terms of a 20-year power purchase agreement, KIUC will pay SolarCity $0.145/kWh, which SolarCity says is only slightly more than the cost of energy from KIUC's two existing 12 MW solar arrays whose output is available only during the day. Using the stored solar energy instead of diesel generators will enable KIUC to reduce its use of imported fuels and cut its greenhouse gas emissions. SolarCity says the project, on 50 acres owned by Grove Farm Co. just north of Līhu'e, has already received most of its state and county approvals and is awaiting approval by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission. KIUC and SolarCity have requested an accelerated timetable for the project so that construction work can begin by April in order to lock in investment tax credits before scheduled rate reductions take place. The project is expected to enter service by the end of 2016. When the project was announced last September, talk in the industry was that Tesla was on the short list of battery suppliers. SolarCity Chair Elon Musk is also the CEO of Tesla and is the cousin to SolarCity executives Lyndon and Peter Rive. SolarCity says it chose Tesla after “conducting a comprehensive competitive solicitation in the battery marketplace.”
www.utilitydive.com

Novo rješenje za pohranu električne energije od Sunca

Na Havajima je u pogon pušten sustav za pohranu električne energije od Sunca koji omogućava njezino iskorištavanje po noći. Kako je izvijestio američki portal 'Renewable Energy World.com', poznati američki proizvođač električnih vozila Tesla nedavno je završio projekt na Havajima koji omogućava noćnu prodaju električne energije proizvedene od Sunca. Riječ je o postrojenju Kapaia koje uključuju sunčanu elektranu snage 13 MW i baterijski sustav za pohranu električne energije u iznosu 52 MW h, koji omogućava pohranu tako proizvedene električne energije tijekom dana i njezino iskorištavanje tijekom noći. U skladu s time, Tesla je sklopio ugovor o isporuci električne energije iz postrojenja s Energetskom zadrugom otoka Kauai (KIUC). Zahvaljujući takvom načinu proizvodnje i pohrane električne energije na otoku Kauai će se značajno smanjiti troškovi u odnosu na dosadašnju proizvodnju pomoću dizelskih agregata. Sve to je u skladu s politikom Savezne države Havaji o potpunom prelasku na obnovljive izvore u proizvodnji električne energije do 2045. godine. Naime, na Havajima su cijene električne energije najviše u SAD-u jer se ona ponajviše proizvodi iz fosilnih goriva čija je dobava do otočja vrlo skupa. U sklopu tog projekta će također na otoku Kauai i isto tako za KIUC kao investitora američka elektroenergetska tvrtka AES sagraditi još jednu sunčanu elektranu, snage 28 MW i sustav za pohranu energije snage 20 MW.
www.energetika-net.com