Con Edison and 174 Power Global have entered an agreement to install the largest battery storage project in New York on an industrial site in Astoria, Queens.
The battery will be able to discharge 100 MW of electricity. 174 Power Global, which specializes in renewable energy projects, will build and own the battery system off 20th Avenue near the East River on land owned by the New York Power Authority where the former Poletti power plant used to be.
The companies have a seven-year contract under which Con Edison will bid power from the battery system into the state’s wholesale market. At the end of the contract, 174 Power Global will dispatch the power into the state’s bulk power transmission system.
“Utility-scale battery storage will play a vital role in New York’s clean energy future – especially in New York City – where it will help to maximize the benefit of the wind power being developed offshore,” says Tim Cawley, president of Con Edison. “This project with 174 Power Global will help displace some fossil fuel-fired generation when the demand for power is highest.”
The 100 MW/400 MWh hour East River Energy Storage System will hold enough electricity to power the World Trade Center for about a day. The batteries will be charged from the grid at times when the demand for power is low and less expensive. They will be discharged at times when the demand for power is high, decreasing the need for power from fossil fuel-fired plants.
Battery technology has improved significantly in recent years and is an important part of New York’s environmental plans. The state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act sets a goal of 70% of the state’s power coming from renewable sources by 2030 and recognizes the need to use energy storage to balance the intermittency of renewable generation – he project fits well with the coming addition of large amounts of renewable energy to the state’s portfolio, including 9,000 MW from offshore wind turbines.
174 Power Global is responsible for obtaining the permits to build and operate the project by the end of 2022. The batteries will be in dozens of containers and connected to a nearby Con Edison transmission substation. The batteries will produce no emissions and little noise. 174 Power Global won the project by responding to a request for proposals that Con Edison issued in July 2019.
