The largest Lithium-ion battery storage installation in the state of Colorado which ENGIE North America developed and constructed for United Power was inaugurated earlier this week. United Power is an electric power cooperative that serves some 200,000 customers and communities north of Denver.
This unique installation consists of 4 MW of Lithium-ion battery packs that can deliver up to 16 MWh of power to support United Power’s grid with enough electricity to completely supply 600-700 homes.
ENGIE’s Distributed Solar team (formerly SoCore Energy) developed and oversaw engineering, procurement, and construction of the project located in Firestone, Colorado about one hour north of Denver. United Power selected Tesla to provide the battery packs for the project which will be owned by United Power.
With 16 MWh duration, it is believed this is the largest Lithium-ion battery storage project ever built in Colorado and will provide flexibility to United Power to meet peak load demand and other requirements. The battery will be recharged with power from the grid and is expected to save United Power around $1 million in costs annually.
“ENGIE is honored to have been chosen by United Power to help develop this ground-breaking battery storage project to support its members and communities in Colorado” said Luis Felipe Birolini Vice President, Business Development, ENGIE North America. “This has been a leading-edge project from the start, and its success is based on great collaboration with United Power and other contributors to the project,” he continued. “We believe that demand for storage projects such as this will continue to grow rapidly and that the collaborative approach taken here is a clear indication of what can be achieved,” he concluded.
“ENGIE’s ability to effectively develop, construct, and integrate multiple suppliers, technologies, and systems into the project was critical for us,” said Jerry Marizza, Director of New Business Development for United Power. “We are excited to add this storage capability to our operations which will help us reduce costs and improve reliability for our members. Our collaboration with ENGIE was essential to making this project a reality,” he continued.
The project was officially inaugurated at a ceremony on the Firestone, Colorado site on Tuesday December 18, 2018.