Subscribe
FORT CARSON, Colorado - Powered on! The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center's (ERDC) Operational Energy (OE) team is celebrating the construction and installation of the GridStar® Flow system, a redox flow battery solution designed for long-duration, large-capacity energy storage applications. The flow system is installed at Fort Carson, Colorado, and ERDC has led the technical evaluation and project management since 2022.
“Today marks a significant milestone not only for ERDC, but also for the future of energy storage and sustainability at Fort Carson,” said Dr. Andrew Nelson, director of ERDC’s Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL).
“It's truly exhilarating to be marking a significant milestone in our flow battery project,” said Marcus Ferguson, program manager for the ERDC-CERL OE Direct Projects. “The past two years have been a journey of lessons learned, creative scheduling, and collaborative teamwork between ERDC-CERL, Fort Carson, Lockheed Martin and Colorado Springs Utilities, ensuring we hit every milestone and keeping our team focused, engaged and motivated. To see our vision taking shape and becoming a reality is not just satisfying, but also incredibly inspiring. It's a testament to the power of collaboration, resilience and the pursuit of sustainable energy solutions.”
As power demand grows across all mission environments, whether inside or outside the Continental U.S. or in combat zones, energy storage becomes a crucial capability. It ensures reliable and efficient power where and when it's needed, supporting operations in diverse and challenging settings. This technology improves that ability to meet energy needs in any environment.
The GridStar® Flow system, supplied by Lockheed Martin, is a large redox flow battery capable of storing up to 1 megawatt (MW) of power and 10 megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy. Designed to provide long-duration, clean energy storage and mission-critical backup, the system can receive charges from multiple sources, including Fort Carson’s existing and proposed solar arrays. Once operational, it is expected to deliver enough energy to meet the daily electricity needs of approximately 400 Fort Carson homes. These systems will help manage peak demand by storing excess energy during low-demand periods and releasing it when demand is high, thereby reducing the strain on the grid and lowering energy costs.
Although Fort Carson is the host site, ERDC-CERL’s OE team has overseen the technical evaluation and project management, collaborating with the Fort Carson Directorate of Public Works, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Omaha District, USACE Huntsville Engineering Center, Colorado Springs Utilities, and Lockheed Martin.
“Fort Carson’s partnership with ERDC-CERL allows the Army to test innovative technologies that make better use of our energy and increase energy resiliency,” said Sean Borgen, Fort Carson energy program manager. “Fort Carson has always been, and continues to be, at the forefront of cutting-edge energy technology for the U.S. Army and the Department of Defense.”
“To see the progress made in just two short years is amazing,” said Larry White, project director for GridStar Flow at Lockheed Martin. “Without our partnership with ERDC, we would not have been able to complete this project in this timeline, having the opportunity to watch the ribbon get cut was certainly a proud one for all of us.”
The battery system will help Fort Carson reduce its reliance on the grid during peak demand periods, cutting electricity costs and alleviating pressure on the grid. In the event of grid outages, the flow battery will provide essential backup power and support must-run operations there. Additionally, the battery will help ERDC better understand and collect data on implementing energy storage.
“Energy storage is a critical asset for enhancing grid stability, peak management, and resiliency on Army installations,” Ferguson said. “By implementing energy storage systems, the Army can ensure a reliable power supply even during grid fluctuations or outages, which is vital for maintaining mission-critical operations.”
With a duration of over six hours, this installation marks the largest long-duration energy storage (LDES) system at a U.S. Department of Defense facility.
"The technology we are putting in place here has the potential to improve storage associated with large-scale energy storage, while reducing issues with charge/discharge cycles that impact the lifecycle of the system," said Nelson. "We are celebrating more than just the ribbon-cutting of a new system; we are celebrating the commitment to energy innovation and resilience. This project exemplifies how we can integrate advanced energy solutions to support our Soldiers and enhance operational capabilities."
The flow battery pilot program will run for the next 18 months, during which its performance will be evaluated. If successful, the system may be rolled out across other installations.
| Date Taken: | 12.03.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.04.2024 10:41 |
| Story ID: | 486504 |
| Location: | FORT CARSON, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 19 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, ERDC Celebrates Milestone with GridStar Flow Battery Installation at Fort Carson, by Sophia Espinosa, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
