An ESS Energy Warehouse being installed (Courtesy: ESS)ESS Tech, Inc, a manufacturer of long-duration energy storage systems (LDES) for commercial and utility-scale applications, announced that it has completed commissioning of six “Energy Warehouse” systems delivered to the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), the nation’s sixth-largest community-owned electric service provider.
The six Energy Warehouse systems represent the first delivery under a framework agreement first announced in September 2022. Under that agreement, ESS will deliver up to 200 MW / 2 GWh of iron flow LDES systems to SMUD. Once fully operational and paired with renewable energy, 2 GWh of iron flow battery systems are expected to enable the elimination of approximately 284,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year from SMUD’s system. With the arrival of the units, SMUD prepares for the next phases of integrating the system into its expansive clean power portfolio. Once operational, SMUD will also train staff on utility-scale applications and clean energy dispatch of long-duration battery systems.
With up to 12 hours of flexible energy capacity, ESS technology is meant to provide cost-effective, resilient, and sustainable energy storage well-suited to multiple use cases including utility-scale renewable energy installations, solar + storage microgrids, grid load-shifting and peak shaving, and other ancillary grid services. ESS systems are sustainable and can be deployed in populated areas without the risks associated with other storage technologies.
In addition to deploying critical energy storage technology, ESS and SMUD plan to establish a Center of Excellence (COE) for energy storage manufacturing in Sacramento. The COE will be established in partnership with local educational institutions and will provide workforce training and support economic development in the greater Sacramento region.
