Ameresco has completed the construction of multiple battery energy storage systems (BESS) in collaboration with United Power, an electric cooperative serving Colorado’s northern Front Range.
The eight BESS array will provide 78.3MW (313.34MWh) of battery storage capacity to the United Power electric distribution system across multiple locations.
Five of the sites have been placed in service and the remaining three are expected to be placed in service by the end of the summer.
Strategically positioned throughout United Power’s service territory, the assets will enable the company to enhance load balancing and integrate renewable resources.
“The use of batteries on our distribution network is essential to a resilient and responsive power grid, and we are excited to be moving ahead with one of the most aggressive plans for such systems,” said president and chief executive of United Power Mark Gabriel.
“These battery energy storage systems will allow us to balance our power needs throughout the day and incorporate local renewables more efficiently.”
The Ameresco-owned assets consist of four 11.75MW and four 7.84MW battery energy storage systems across the eight different substation sites owned by United Power, located in Adams, Broomfield, and Weld counties.
In addition, Ameresco integrated Stem’s AI-driven clean energy software to efficiently operate and maintain the systems.
These batteries will allow the cooperative to store and dispatch power efficiently during periods of high consumption.
“Partnering with United Power on these transformational battery energy storage systems has been incredible – in just under a year of working together we have accomplished so much,” said Ameresco senior vice president Jonathan Mancini.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to celebrate completing construction of the BESS assets with the event taking place at United Power’s Bromley Substation located in Brighton.