Hawaiian Electric, Amber Kinetics Begin Kinetic Energy Storage Demonstration with Elemental Excelerator Support
UNION CITY, Calif. & HONOLULU–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#AmberKinetics–Hawaiian Electric, in partnership with Amber Kinetics and Elemental
Excelerator, today launched operations of a four-hour kinetic energy
storage system (KESS) powered by groundbreaking flywheel technology. The
pilot project is the first commercial use of Amber Kinetics’ advanced
technology in the U.S.
Hawaiian Electric and Amber Kinetics are testing the 8 kW / 32 kWh KESS
for local grid reliability and support and aid in the integration of
renewable energy. One 8 kW unit can power approximately 25 homes for one
hour. Technical field data is being collected and is expected to guide
planning for future utility-owned energy storage projects in Hawaii.
Communications and controls Amber Kinetics is developing in
collaboration with Hawaiian Electric will be tested in a real-world
setting and scaled to other jurisdictions.
The five-ton flywheel stores electricity as rotational kinetic energy
and is capable of charging and discharging for multiple duty cycles per
day with no loss of capacity. The environmentally friendly system is 98
percent steel that can be recycled at the end of its 30-year design
life. It was installed by American Electric, a Hawaii-based company, at
Hawaiian Electric’s Campbell Industrial Park generating station on Oahu.
“Hawaiian Electric is eager to test the grid stabilizing and renewable
energy storing of the flywheel,” noted Colton Ching, Hawaiian Electric
senior vice president for planning and technology. “Our evaluation of
this very promising energy storage system will help us determine how we
can use flywheels to help integrate renewables at a lower cost while
improving reliability and resiliency of the grid.”
Ed Chiao, co-founder/CEO of Amber Kinetics, said, “We are very pleased
to be working with Hawaiian Electric. Our cost-effective technology has
the potential to increase the Hawaiian Electric grid’s renewable energy
capacity – an important goal shared by the State of Hawaii, Hawaiian
Electric, Elemental Excelerator and Amber Kinetics.” In addition to
Hawaiian Electric, Amber Kinetics is currently working with clients on
four continents.
Elemental Excelerator, a growth accelerator and catalyst for the
deployment and scale of new technologies, chose Amber Kinetics to be
part of its portfolio because of high levels of solar and wind on
Hawaii’s electrical grid. “If you are an energy storage company, Hawaii
is probably one of your early markets. Solar plus storage is already at
grid parity,” said Dawn Lippert, CEO of Elemental Excelerator. “Amber
Kinetics is one example of how companies are leveraging the economics of
energy storage in Hawaii to deploy their technology for the first time
in a commercial setting.”
Amber Kinetics’ products offer substantial benefits for a wide range of
utility and commercial applications. The firm’s breakthrough technology
is the first to extend the duration and efficiency of flywheels from
minutes to hours, resulting in safe, economical and reliable energy
storage for a variety of utility-scale applications, including load
shifting, peak shaving, frequency regulation, renewable firming and
spinning reserve. The system is scalable and designed to allow for
increased size through the addition of multiple flywheels.
The project afforded all who worked on it the opportunity to advance
energy storage knowledge and experience. “Participating in this
project has been an exciting opportunity to be part of cutting-edge
technology that is essential to Hawaii’s energy future,” added Cameron
Pickle, project manager for American Electric Co., LLC, the electrical
power systems contractor for the project.
Contacts
Hawaiian Electric
Peter Rosegg, (808) 543-7780
[email protected]
or
Amber
Kinetics
Catherine Rips, (760) 413-3432
[email protected]
or
Elemental
Excelerator
Lauren Tonokawa, (808) 554-6404
[email protected]
or
American
Electric Co
Ray Hose, 808-282-3246
[email protected]
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