NYPA Announces New Energy Storage Demonstration Project Supporting Further Integration of Renewable Power Sources into the Grid
The New York Power Authority (NYPA) announced a collaboration with a leading-edge energy storage company to develop a demonstration energy storage system, using new zinc-air energy storage technology, in New York State. The project, selected as a winner through the NYPA Innovation Challenge, will have the ability to provide back-up power, help level grid demand, and move the state further toward a carbon-free electric grid supported by renewable energy resources. The new technology storage system will help advance Governor Cuomo's Green New Deal by helping to achieve the Governor's aggressive energy storage goal of 3GW by 2030 and by supporting a nation-leading commitment of 100 percent electricity from zero carbon emission sources by 2040.
"NYPA is pleased to be working with Zinc8 on an innovative technology that can help achieve the state's targets for energy storage and have broad impacts across New York State," said Gil C. Quiniones, NYPA president and CEO. "This collaboration will showcase a low-cost, long duration solution that addresses the unpredictability of renewable energy resources, such as wind and solar, and offers environmental and efficiency benefits."
NYPA, the largest state power organization in the U.S., connected with Zinc8 Energy Solutions Inc., a Vancouver, B.C. developer and manufacturer of long-duration, low-cost zinc-air energy storage solutions, through its NYPA Innovation Challenge launched in May of 2019 in collaboration with the New York University Tandon School of Engineering's Urban Future Lab (UFL). More than 60 business applicants entered the Challenge, designed to accelerate the commercialization of new technologies for the electricity grid to ensure an affordable and reliable renewable energy supply to New York State. NYPA selected Zinc8 Energy Solutions' Zinc-Air Energy Storage technology to demonstrate energy storage and demand management that can help build longer duration flexibility (8 hours plus) into the grid and optimize the role storage resources play.
NYPA will support the development, fabrication and installation of the storage unit at commercial scale over a three-year period. The 100kW/1MWh behind-the-meter energy storage system will be installed at a demonstration site in Western New York State. NYPA is actively investigating potential sites, such as a municipal building or a building on a college campus or university that would benefit from the demonstration of this technology. The final demonstration site is expected to be set in the first quarter of 2020.
Zinc8 Energy Solutions developed a patented zinc-air energy storage system that efficiently stores energy in the form of zinc particles and contains none of the traditional high cost battery commodities such as lithium, vanadium or cobalt. The technology allows for low-cost mass storage of energy and can be deployed into a wide range of scalable energy storage applications.
"This collaboration with the New York Power Authority is a milestone in Zinc8 Energy Solutions' path to full commercialization and underscores the growing demand for low-cost reliable long-duration energy storage. This unique opportunity with NYPA not only helps Zinc8 contribute to the rapid advancement of clean energy in New York State, but also opens the door for Zinc8 to deploy its technology into the broader utility market," said Zinc8 Energy Solutions President and CEO Ron MacDonald.
Zinc8 and NYPA see this initial collaboration and installation as a reference site for future installations that will further demonstrate Zinc8's technology through NYPA's wide variety of customers in microgrid, commercial and industrial and utility markets. The demonstration project is anticipated for installation in 2022.
NYPA | www.nypa.gov
Zinc8 | https://www.zinc8energy.com
