RWE has recently completed three new battery energy storage systems (BESS) totalling 190MW in the states of Texas and Arizona.
The three BESS projects – Bright Arrow, Big Star and Mesquite 4 – bring RWE’s total battery storage capacity in the US to about 512MW.
The company has further battery projects with a total capacity of 770MW under construction in the US.
Globally, RWE’s battery storage capacity now totals to about 700MW, with more than 1GW under construction.
Andrew Flanagan, chief executive of RWE Clean Energy, said: “Battery storage is growing even more critical to enable the rapid deployment of wind and solar projects, help stabilize the US power grid and better ensure that enough electric supply is available to meet demand.
“As part of our Growing Green Strategy, we’re planning to increase our battery portfolio globally to 6GW by 2030, and these three new systems are contributing to that goal.”
Battery energy storage systems supply flexible and affordable electricity when it is needed most, making them an ideal partner for renewables.
The three new BESS are paired with solar, allowing them to store excess electricity and send it back to the grid at a later time, RWE said.
The 100MW Bright Arrow battery storage is paired with a 300 MWac solar PV project in Sulphur Springs, Texas.
The project came online in December, with an additional 200MWac of solar scheduled to achieve commercial operation in spring 2024.
The BESS will participate in the ERCOT market and the solar PV electricity output will be provided to an affiliate of NRG Energy.
The 80MW Big Star battery storage project sits alongside a 200MWac solar PV project in Bastrop County, Texas.
Big Star is completing the testing and scheduled to achieve commercial operation in March 2024.
The BESS will participate in the ERCOT market and the solar PV electricity output will be provided to a third party.
Finally, Mesquite 4 is a 10MW battery storage site with a 52.5MWac solar project in Maricopa County, Arizona, which is expected to come online later this month.
The solar PV electricity output and BESS services will be provided to Modesto Irrigation District (MID).