Hydrostor, Kiewit advance FEED study for U.S. energy project
Hydrostor Inc., a Canadian long-duration energy storage company, and Kiewit Engineering Group Inc. are joining forces to advance front-end engineering and design studies for a massive California project.
Hydrostor and Kiewit are collaborating on a FEED study for largest stand-alone energy storage project in California. – Hydrostor
Key Takeaways:
- Canadian long-term energy storage company Hydrostor is partnering with Kiewit on a FEED study for a massive energy storage centre in California.
- It would be capable of eliminating the equivalent of roughly 120,000 cars off the road every year.
- The facility would use Hydrostor’s advanced compressed air technology to store excess green energy.
The Whole Story:
The 500 MW Willow Rock Energy Storage Center would be the largest stand-alone energy storage project in the state. It also comes after California officials have set a goal of using 100 per cent carbon-free energy by 2045.
The project will store excess generation from California solar and wind projects during periods of low customer demand by compressing air and storing it on the project site. During periods of higher customer demand or low supply, this high-pressure air is used to generate emissions-free electricity to meet real-time electrical load and enhance overall grid reliability. The project is designed to generate electricity for at least eight hours at full capacity.
Hydrostor stated that the work demonstrates steady progress in the development of its advanced compressed air energy storage (A-CAES) technology in North America.
According to Hydrostor, A-CAES uses commercially proven equipment and processes to provide affordable, large-scale, and emission- free long-duration energy storage (LDES).
The company added that Willow Rock will be capable of storing enough energy to provide reliable power for up to 400,000 homes over 8 hours, turning California’s growing solar and wind resources into on-demand peaking capacity, enabling the closure of emitting fossil fuel resources while maximizing transmission system utilization.
“Hydrostor continues to reach important milestones at Willow Rock, and we look forward to working with the world-class engineering and construction teams at Kiewit to advance this critical clean energy project,” said Curtis VanWalleghem, Hydrostor CEO. “Our global teams are paving the way towards achieving aggressive net-zero goals. Willow Rock will be capable of eliminating the equivalent of roughly 120,000 cars off the road every year over its 50+ year project life.”
Kiewit praised Hydrostor’s approach, stating that LDES solutions like A-CAES are a critical component of grid modernization.
“We look forward to commencing work on Willow Rock, which has the potential to abate significant emissions and provide a reliable, sustainable energy source for many decades,” said Kevin Needham, president of Kiewit Power Engineers.
