Flow battery provider CellCube Corp. and power electronics provider G&W Electric Corp. are beginning to roll out microgrid solutions in the U.S. market. The first microgrid solution launched by the parties is a microgrid project deployed at G&W Electric's Illinois headquarters.
The two companies have signed a partnership agreement to provide new integrated microgrid solutions in the U.S. market. G&W Electric will use CellCube's flow battery (VRFB) as a key technology in its portfolio of microgrid solutions and become a value-added reseller of CellCube's energy storage systems.
The partnership was initiated through a microgrid project built by G&E Electric at its headquarters in Bolingbrook, Illinois, consisting of a solar array using 6,000 solar photovoltaic panels and a 2MW/8MWh battery storage system provided by CellCube. combination of .
G&W Electric began planning work on the project in August 2021, which also includes a 1.3MW flywheel.
This microgrid project will cover multiple use cases, including islanding capabilities, peak shaving capabilities, sub-cycle backup power for critical asset protection, and will actively participate in utility Edison by isolating itself from the grid to help reduce peak load demand United Electric Company's Demand Response Program.
The project will also participate in an ancillary services and energy trading market run by grid operator PJM Corporation, which covers a handful of states in the eastern United States. It will provide frequency regulation services through the PJM Corporation Interconnection, which helps ensure grid stability at 60Hz.
The 2MW/8MWh flow battery energy storage system is also capable of operating at up to 150% of its nominal power (i.e. 3MW) for two hours to meet peak demand in the PJM energy market.
G&W Electric launched the project after operations were disrupted several years ago due to grid outages.
