Redflow Limited, an Australian clean energy storage specialist, and Ameresco, a cleantech integrator, have signed a $2.83 million contract with the United States Department of Defense’s (DOD) Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to deliver a prototype microgrid using a long-duration energy storage (LDES) system.
Microgrids are groups of distributed energy resources, such as solar connected to a battery system, that can operate independently during a power outage. The U.S. microgrid market has been growing steadily, with more than 7 GW in operation and the rest in planning or construction stages.
The microgrid project will be constructed at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, New York. It aims to provide energy resilience for critical loads on the base and offer a dispatchable solar-plus-storage resource capable of peak shaving. Redflow will partner with Ameresco as its engineering subcontractor to deliver the project.
Redflow specializes in zinc-bromine flow batteries designed for harsh conditions and long-duration stationary energy storage applications in the commercial and industrial sector. The company’s solutions are scalable and can be customized to meet different requirements.
This project is part of the DIU’s Extended Duration Storage for Installations program, which aims to match innovative LDES technologies with projects that demonstrate additional technological capability. If successful, this solution could be deployed across numerous U.S. Department of Defense facilities and critical infrastructure.
Ameresco has previous experience in military microgrid installations and is currently working on a $140 million infrastructure and energy resilience project at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey. The project includes a solar facility and a battery energy storage system, as well as energy-saving measures such as smart LED light fixture retrofits.
The Department of Air Force plans to deploy and commission the solar microgrid system in the second half of 2024. This project will contribute to the Department of Defense’s emissions reduction goal and support New York state’s renewable energy goals.
Sources:
– Wood Mackenzie’s Grid Edge Service
– Redflow Limited
– Ameresco