Duke Energy Renewables and energy storage company Green Charge Networks have formed an alliance to provide a way of smoothing the variable delivery of solar power.
Green Charge will work closely with solar provider REC Solar – which Dule has a majority interest – to market energy storage systems with REC’s solar projects.
The initial focus will be on the Southern California and Hawaiian markets.
With a combination of lithium-ion battery technology and predictive software, Green Charge systems will draw power from the REC Solar system and the grid during off-peak hours, when electricity is inexpensive, and release it during peak hours, when electricity is more expensive.
Duke Energy Renewables president Greg Wolf said: “Our goal is to make it easier for customers to combine solar and storage, so they can benefit from high quality, consistent and economical power 24/7.
REC Solar chief executive officer Al Bucknam said: “Commercial customers save money by adding energy storage to reduce their peak demand, which can account for up to 50 percent of their electricity bill.”
Image: Duke Energy
