Highview Power Storage and Encore Renewable Energy are to build a 50MW liquid air energy storage system in the US state of Vermont.
The facility, which the partners said will be the first utility-scale liquid air energy storage system in the country, will provide over eight hours of storage.
It will contribute to resolving longstanding energy transmission challenges surrounding the Vermont’s Sheffield-Highgate Export Interface (SHEI) and enable the efficient transport and integration of renewable energy, the two companies said.
Highview Power and Encore said they are in discussions with potential utility and transmission grid operators regarding the capabilities and services the facility can provide.
Highview Power has developed a proprietary liquid air energy storage system, called CryoBattery, that uses excess or off-peak electricity to clean and compress air that is stored in liquid form in insulated tanks at temperatures approaching minus 196 degrees Celsius.
When electricity is in high demand and more valuable, the pressurised gas is allowed to warm, turning a turbine as it expands and thus generating energy that can be used at peak times when the sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing.
Highview Power USA vice president Salvatore Minopoli said the company has strategically sought partners in the US that are renewable energy market leaders with experience in developing large-scale projects.
“With their expertise in community-scale solar PV systems, traditional battery storage applications and solutions for the redevelopment of under-utilised properties, Encore Renewable Energy is a perfect partner for us as we continue expanding our technology in the United States,” he said.
Highview Power chief executive Javier Cavada said: “We are excited to deploy our first long duration energy storage system in the United States. It is wonderful to partner with a company that shares our vision for a healthier environment and a sustainable economy.”