Viridity Energy Solutions, a unit of Ormat Technologies, has broken ground on two 20MW/20MWh standalone utility-connected battery energy storage projects in New Jersey, US.
Image: Officials from Viridity and Akula Energy among others during ground breaking ceremony of the storage projects in New Jersey. Photo: courtesy of Viridity Energy.
Located in Plumsted Township and Alpha Borough, New Jersey, the storage projects will be interconnected with Jersey Central Power and Light’s transmission grid. It will be owned and operated by Viridity Energy.
Being developed by energy technology and solutions provider Amergin Energy and Akula private equity firm Energy Ventures, the projects are scheduled to commence operations in late 2018.
The projects will be equipped to provide real-time frequency regulation and other ancillary services to the grid operator, PJM Interconnection, a regional transmission organization (RTO), as well as be available as a capacity asset.
Viridity and Ormat are responsible for providing the project engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for the project, which will feature Dynapower’s inverters and LG Chem’s modules.
Viridity CEO Mack Treece said: “Viridity is very proud to break ground on the two largest battery storage systems ever implemented in New Jersey, which will provide stability to the power grid and benefit the local communities.”
Following acquisition of the projects in January 2018 from Amergin and Akula, Viridity advanced them from engineering and design and to construction phase.
Amergin Energy founder Tom Brayman said: “Viridity, together with its parent company, Ormat Technologies, Inc., have the capabilities and expertise to ensure these projects will have the highest possible performance in the PJM market.”
Earlier this year, Ormat said that the projects would generate average revenues of between $7m and $8m, mainly from ancillary services in 2019.
Akula Energy Ventures founder Srikant Akula said: “Viridity will be an ideal owner of these assets and has expertise in operating projects in the PJM market.”
Viridity had selected Dynapower’s package to provide a fully integrated system including the inverters, batteries, thermal management and enclosures for the projects.