October 28, 2019
With recent news of a 316 MW battery storage project approved for Ravenswood Generating Station in Long Island City, Queens, the state of New York has further marked its intentions for a clean energy future. Now, a new report—The Potential for Energy Storage to Repower or Replace Peaking Units in New York State—has further highlighted the potential of energy storage in reducing emissions by replacing old power plants in New York.
The report comes from a collaborative effort between the New York Department of Public Service Staff, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and Con Edison.
From the collective research carried out, a number of power plants across New York City and Long Island have been identified as potential candidates for a new energy storage approach. The approach would involve fully replacing the selected power plants with either battery storage, or solar-plus-storage. The plants in question have been chosen as they operate infrequently yet have very high emissions in relation to their low operating time. In this article, penned by Samantha Wilt for the Natural Resources Defense Council, you’ll find two tables highlighting the potential for battery storage and solar-plus-storage in replacing these plants.
In terms of numbers, a significant amount of capacity throughout both New York City and Long Island could be replaced with clean, efficient battery storage solutions capable of meeting strict, upcoming emissions limits from the Department of Environmental Conservation. These limits come into effect in 2025, meaning that any changes implemented will need to account for such limits in order to successfully lead to a clean energy grid in the future.
On Long Island, 743 MW of peaker plant capacity could see the implementation of batteries holding 4 hours of charge. In New York, this number is quite a bit lower at 74 MW, but by no means insignificant. In some cases, the generation of these plants could be entirely offset with the use of battery storage and solar-plus-storage. If the aforementioned batteries holding 4 hours of charge are used, then 16 MW of Long Island capacity, and 20 MW of NYC capacity, could be fully replaced. Were the batteries installed capable of holding 6 hours of charge, these numbers would increase further.
Of course, nothing is set in stone because of a report alone, but the research provided certainly highlights the huge potential of energy storage, batteries, and solar-plus-storage in providing a clean, safe, reliable energy grid for the New York of tomorrow.
To explore the potential of energy storage for your home or business, contact YSG Solar today at 212.389.9215 and speak to a member of the team.
By Shane Croghan
Sources:
https://www.nrdc.org/experts/samantha-wilt/storage-can-help-meet-new-yorks-peak-power-needs
https://www.nrdc.org/experts/nrdc/new-york-passes-historic-climate-bill