The initial project under the collaboration is expected to become operational in 2021
Image: Azelio and Biodico partner on thermal energy storage project in US. Photo: courtesy of Алексей Чижов/Pixabay.
Sweden-based Azelio has entered into an agreement with US biorefineries operator Biodico to develop 120MW of energy storage projects in California by 2024.
The series of projects that will be developed under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) includes a 13kWe energy storage that is scheduled to come online in 2021, followed by other projects comprising of 15MWe in 2022, 35MWe in 2023 and 70MWe in 2024.
Azelio said that the combined planned capacity corresponds to about 9,000 units of the company’s system.
Under the partnership, the initial project is expected to become operational in 2021, as a commercial demonstration for Biodico’s modular renewable bio-fuel production system in the town of Atascadero, California.
Biodico plans to create clean biofuel production centres powered from on-site renewable resources
Biodico is planning to build biofuel production centres, which will be powered by the electricity generated by the on-site renewable resources to lessen greenhouse gas emissions.
Azelio CEO Jonas Eklind said: “We are moving at a good pace, and I am pleased to see the substantial interest in Azelio’s technology manifested by a third MoU in a short period of time. At Azelio, we are particularly excited about gaining ground in the North American market.
“The project in California will demonstrate our solution’s capabilities in storing and dispatching energy from both solar PV and wind power, allowing both Azelio and Biodico to build a valuable experience needed to deploy our solution on a larger scale.”
The initial project will comprise solar PV, wind, as well as Azelio’s power storage unit, which will guarantee supply of base-load energy to the process continuously.
To store energy, Azelio’s system will use both solar PV and wind power in the first project.
Operating under real-world conditions, Azelio’s unit is expected to serve as a commercial model for the company’s future projects in California.
Biodico president Russell Teall said: “Biodico sees Azelio’s system as the main part of its energy supply for its modular renewable biofuel production.
“The ability to provide renewable energy 24/7 is crucial at both a technical and commercial level. Environmentally it is the right thing to do, and it has financial benefits at the same time.”
The companies aim to establish and extend their business offering in California, with Biodico as a non-exclusive distributor of Azelio’s technology in the region.