MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (KTTC) – Xcel Energy, Minnesota’s largest electricity provider, announced its most recent proposal to build up to 200 megawatts of battery storage at strategic locations around the state.
As part of its legal mandate to provide 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040, Xcel’s plan to achieve that is through not only the additional construction of solar and wind generation, but through the addition of strategically placed battery storage.
“We’re focused on supporting economic growth and the needs of our communities by building out and modernizing our energy grid,” said Ryan Long, President of Xcel Energy-Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. “We believe distributed energy resources are an important part of that strategy. They will complement our current plans for additional renewable and firm dispatchable generating resources to meet our customers’ needs.”
Essentially, Xcel will be installing individual battery storage units at specific locations around the state. Locations will include local businesses, commercial sites, industrial sites and nonprofit organizations.
In turn for hosting the battery resources on site, roughly the size of a shipping container, locations will receive direct payments from the program for participating.
Xcel says it will be banking energy while there’s excess produced and will utilize the stored energy during peak demand.
“By storing energy when it’s cheap, delivering it when it’s needed most and placing assets where they maximize grid value, Xcel Energy is delivering reliable energy to customers today and building a grid that is ready for tomorrow,” said Pier LaFarge, CEO of Sparkfund.
This proposed plan is part of a larger plan that calls for the installation of 600 megawatts of energy storage by the end of 2030.
Xcel Energy is partnering with Sparkfund, a deployment services company that builds out distributed energy resources.
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