Greensmith Energy, a company that provides energy storage software and integration services, will partner with E.ON Climate and Renewables and Tucson Electric Power (TEP) to design and create a grid-scale energy storage system at the University of Arizona Science and Technology Park.
The 10 megawatt (MW) site southeast of Tucson will provide frequency response and voltage control, along with solar integration for a new 2MW array.
Greensmith will handle design, installation and commissioning services along with its software control platform, GEMS, a widely used solution that enables utilities to maximize energy storage ROI.
"We are excited to combine our utility storage expertise with Greensmith’s deep industry knowledge and technology for TEP," Mark Frigo, E.ON's vice president of energy storage for North America, said. "TEP is the perfect partner for this project as they are an experienced utility operator and very interested in integrating innovative, cost-effective technologies for the benefit of their customers."
Arizona's Renewable Energy Standard (RES) requires regulated electric utilities to use more renewable power each year until it accounts for at least 15 percent of all power used by 2025.
"We're working very hard to build a more resilient grid in a cost-effective way for our customers, and exploring energy storage technologies is an important aspect of our efforts," Carmine Tilghman, a TEP senior director in charge of renewable energy programs, said. "E.ON provides both innovative technologies and a wealth of expertise that will help us to achieve our long-term renewable energy and resource planning goals."
John Jung, president and CEO of Greensmith Energy, said Greensmith's growing partnership with E.ON to support the energy storage needs of leading utilities such as TEP reflects why Greensmith has worked so hard over the past eight years to build the most advanced energy storage technologies and experience available today.
The project will provide TEP with ancillary services and is expected to be functional in the first half of next year.