Utility companies and fossil assets are seeking combinations of hybrid energy storage to allow power to be provided just long enough for a peaking natural gas-fired generation to be switched on. Longer-duration energy storage technologies (greater than 4 hours) would provide the needed capacity to enable slower ramping, reduced turndowns, grid voltage regulation, an extended facility lifetime and various other benefits for more efficient operations at a power plant facility. The company and partner research institution are working together to scale up low-cost, high- efficiency, second-generation high-temperature superconducting (2G-HTS) technology for deployment across several markets, with a primary focus on the commercial development of Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) systems. SMES is a transformative, disruptive energy-storage technology in the form of a magnetic battery. The geometry of the device creates a highly contained electromagnetic field, and the energy is released by discharging the coils. Due to the zero electrical resistance and infinite conductivity of a superconductor, the stored energy remains constant in the coil without any degradation until it is discharged. This ensures instant charging and access capabilities, with unparalleled efficiency exceeding 95%. In this program, new storage solutions equipped with 2G-HTS technology ranging from transit scale (~ 1 MWh) to grid scale (500+ MWh) will be investigated and optimized for integration with a major utility power plant. The goal of the program is to confirm whether the novel SMES design can meet the performance and financial requirements of the fossil asset industry, while exhibiting continuous grid-voltage regulation; cost-effective, peak-hour energy storage with almost infinite life; increased input/output efficiency; and the capability to undergo millions of charging cycles, representing a significant improvement over lithium ion and other conventional storage technologies. In a Phase II program, a subscale demonstration of a SMES system will be conducted in conjunction with a major university campus and Fortune 500 national utility. Ultimately, scaled-down versions of SMES are expected to be competitive with the multi-billion- dollar lithium-ion market. If successful, this project would be integral in the long-term commercialization and widespread deployment of disruptive technology that can spawn a new worldwide supply chain and create domestic, high-tech manufacturing jobs in the green industry.
