Younicos has completed the installation and commissioning of an upgraded battery storage system at the site of Duke Energy’s 153 MW Notrees Windpower Project in West Texas.
The company replaced previously deployed lead-acid technology with a 36 MW system comprising Samsung SDI lithium-ion batteries.
The Notrees system has been in operation since 2012, actively participating in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas’ Fast Response Regulation Services (FRRS) market. According to Younicos, the new lithium-ion battery system will increase duration of discharge at the facility, enabling it to expand service delivery in the FRRS market. It will also have the capability to provide additional fast-responding services currently under development by ERCOT as part of its ancillary service market redesign.
In 2016, Duke Energy Renewables began a two-phase process to upgrade Notrees’ older battery technology. The first phase involved replacing 50% of the batteries while the system continued to operate using Younicos’ hybrid control software. In phase two, the remaining lead-acid batteries were replaced with lithium-ion without any performance interruption. During this swap-out process, the remaining life of the existing lead-acid technology was maximized, showcasing Younicos’ proprietary Y.Q software.
“We’re proud to once again partner with Duke Energy to upgrade this system, which has been the largest wind-connected storage resource in North America for over five years,” says Jayesh Goyal, managing firector of Younicos. “Our Y.Q software performed seamlessly during the upgrade process, reinforcing its flexibility and multi-mode operational capability.”
Spencer Hanes, managing director of business development for energy storage at Duke Energy Renewables, adds, “As we look ahead to integrating more storage technology with our renewables projects, the Notrees system demonstrates our ability to serve an important customer, ERCOT, and at the same time create value from energy storage systems.”
