PENSACOLA, Fla. - Continuing its 100-year commitment to innovation and historic focus on the research and development of emerging energy solutions, Gulf Power and its parent, Southern Company, today officially launched the latest battery storage research project in Southern Company’s operating territory. The project represents another important milestone in the companies’ work to build the future of energy.
The two-year McCrary Battery Energy Storage Demonstration will demonstrate the capabilities and requirements of an energy storage system designed to help industrial and commercial customers store and use energy on demand, while improving resiliency and potentially helping customers save on energy costs in the future.
Located in Pensacola, Florida, at Gulf Power’s Douglas L. McCrary Training and Storm Center, the new research project will test and evaluate a 250 kilowatt/1 megawatt-hour Tesla Powerpack lithium-ion industrial energy storage system. Insights gained from the Gulf Power demonstration are expected to accelerate the development of battery storage technology across the Southern Company system. The lithium-ion technology under evaluation is the same battery chemistry used in electric vehicles and consumer electronics such as laptops.
Company executives and experts hosted a commissioning and ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the project’s opening.
“Gulf Power is proud to be involved in this battery energy storage demonstration at the McCrary Training and Storm Center and to be in the forefront of evaluating innovative energy technologies,” said Stan Connally, Gulf Power Chairman, President, and CEO. “Throughout our history, we have been host to the development of energy solutions that have resulted in greater energy efficiency, cleaner energy production, and value for our customers – and this commissioning event signals our on-going commitment to build a better energy future.”
“At Southern Company, we are constantly broadening our industry-leading expertise to harness new technologies that can deliver clean, safe, reliable, affordable energy to customers,” said Southern Company Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Kimberly S. Greene. “This collaborative research project with Gulf Power will deepen our understanding of battery energy storage systems and the value they can provide.”
The McCrary Battery Energy Storage Demonstration was developed by Southern Company research and development in partnership with Gulf Power and with support from the Electric Power Research Institute and Tesla.
Specifically, the project aims to further the understanding of the siting, installation and operational requirements of commercial- and industrial-scale energy storage systems. It will provide information on the advantages battery storage can offer customers and energy providers through peak shaving, demand management, ancillary services, energy arbitrage and backup power.
Gulf Power has, for decades, led the way in the energy industry in innovation and research. Prior to the McCrary Center battery energy storage project, the energy company launched a Powerwall home battery system in partnership with SolarEdge and Tesla for several applications including rooftop solar energy storing, maximizing the impact of time-of-use rates by charging directly from the grid, and for studying the technology to see the benefits of power grid reliability and efficiency.
Gulf Power has also partnered with Southern Company and a team of utilities, universities and contractors on an Electric Power Research Institute-led project focused on overcoming the challenges of adding more and more solar energy onto the grid. The three-year research project, “SHINES” –– Sustainable and Holistic Integration of Energy Storage and Solar photovoltaic (PV) –– is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative, Southern Company and Gulf Power. The team will integrate solar PV systems and energy storage at three test sites across the country, including Pensacola.
The McCrary Battery Energy Storage Demonstration is just one component of Southern Company’s energy storage research portfolio, which includes residential, commercial, industrial and utility-scale battery projects in locations across the company’s Southeastern electric service territory.
“This project aligns with our rich history of innovation at Gulf Power,” added Connally, “and will serve our customers with a more robust energy future.”
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About Gulf Power
Gulf Power is an investor-owned energy provider with all of its common stock owned by Atlanta-based Southern Company. Gulf Power serves more than 455,415 customers in eight counties throughout Northwest Florida. The company’s mission is to safely provide exceptional customer value by delivering reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible electricity while strengthening our communities. Visit online at MyGulfPower.com or on the company’s Facebook page. News information can be found at GulfPowerNews.com.
About Southern Company
Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is America's premier energy company, with 46,000 megawatts of generating capacity and 1,500 billion cubic feet of combined natural gas consumption and throughput volume serving 9 million customers through its subsidiaries. The company provides clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy through electric operating companies in four states, natural gas distribution companies in seven states, a competitive generation company serving wholesale customers across America and a nationally recognized provider of customized energy solutions, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and affordable prices that are below the national average. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, Southern Company and its subsidiaries are inventing America's energy future by developing the full portfolio of energy resources, including carbon-free nuclear, 21st century coal, natural gas, renewables and energy efficiency, and creating new products and services for the benefit of customers. Southern Company has been named by the U.S. Department of Defense and G.I. Jobs magazine as a top military employer, recognized among the Top 50 Companies for Diversity by DiversityInc, listed by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the 40 Best Companies for Diversity and designated a Top Employer for Hispanics by Hispanic Network. The company has earned a National Award of Nuclear Science and History from the National Atomic Museum Foundation for its leadership and commitment to nuclear development and is continually ranked among the top energy companies in Fortune's annual World's Most Admired Electric and Gas Utility rankings. Visit our website at www.southerncompany.com.
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