The Chisholm Grid Battery Energy Storage Project is owned by Astral Electricity, LLC, a privately-held energy storage power producer, and was developed by Able Grid Infrastructure Holdings, LLC, a joint venture between Able Grid and MAP RE/ES. Able Grid will provide operational asset management services for the site following commercial operations in mid-2021.
Sungrow's ESS solution deployed for this project is the latest product lineup. At the heart of the technology are lithium-ion batteries, combined with Sungrow's advanced converters and controls. Sungrow Services will maintain the asset under a long-term services agreement, reducing operating costs and extending the life span of the assets.
As an industry leading company, Sungrow must do everything possible to maintain its safety edge. "The safe operation of the project is of vital concern to us," said Neil Bradshaw, the Senior Technical Sales Manager. "Not only is every cell protected electrically in a three-tier BMS system and supervisory controls, but each small battery module has internal thermal barriers and suppression technology. Sungrow is eager to show the world that battery energy storage at this scale is a safe, reliable and sustainable solution to ensure grid reliability amidst demanding market operating conditions," he added.
"Years of innovation by Sungrow as a global technology leader now allows companies like Astral Electricity to deploy market-driven solutions that will accelerate the decarbonization of electricity supplies while also improving grid performance. Sungrow's highly-integrated offering, history of successful deployment and collaboration with technology providers were key factors in our supplier decision. We are looking forward Sungrow's product providing reliable operations for many years to come," commented Aaron Zubaty, CEO of MAP RE/ES.
"The landmark Chisholm Grid energy storage project is another exciting milestone in the US energy storage market which is strongly positioned for immense growth," said Mizhi Zhang, Managing Director of Energy Storage, Sungrow Americas. "We're poised to pioneer more energy storage innovations backed by the industry's largest R&D team and 24-year proven track record. Our agile local team can offer responsive technical support, sales and industry-leading after-sales service," he added.
As one of the key players in the energy storage market, Sungrow is an early entrant in the North American storage market with a deployment footprint spreading across multiple states including California, Massachusetts and Texas, achieving milestones both in the utility scale storage market as well as the C&I market where Sungrow currently maintains a strong position in North America. The Company acquired orders totaling 1.4 GWh in North America in 2020 including both standalone energy storage projects and storage in combination with power plants.
About MAP RE/ES
MAP RE/ES has been an innovating and leading investor in renewable energy projects since 2005 and has directly funded the development of more than 16,000 MW of operating wind and solar generating capacity located across the United States. In December 2020, MAP RE/ES announced the acquisition by Global Infrastructure Partners Fund IV of 100% of the MAP RE/ES investment platform, team, and renewable energy assets under management.
About Astral Electricity, LLC
Astral Electricity is a privately-held energy storage power producer that sees an opportunity where others see risk. Astral leverages decades of experience funding and developing wind and solar projects throughout the country to create a unique view on the future fabric of power generation, transmission and energy consumption. Astral's deployment of large-scale standalone energy storage systems provides a new dimension of market-based solutions that balance electricity grids while catalyzing electricity sector decarbonization.
About Able Grid Energy Solutions, Inc.
Able Grid Energy Solutions, Inc. ("Able Grid") is a utility-scale energy storage developer. In partnership with utilities, municipalities, communities, and leading corporate buyers, Able Grid is developing low-cost energy storage assets that provide reliable, emissions-free capacity to manage the physical and financial volatility of energy markets. We focus on investing in communities and markets where energy storage will provide long-term value to utilities managing a diverse energy portfolio to provide low-cost and sustainable power for their customers. www.ablegridenergy.com
About Sungrow
Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd ("Sungrow") is the world's most bankable inverter brand with over 120 GW installed worldwide as of June 2020. Founded in 1997 by University Professor Cao Renxian, Sungrow is a leader in the research and development of solar inverters, with the largest dedicated R&D team in the industry and a broad product portfolio offering PV inverter solutions and energy storage systems for utility-scale, commercial, and residential applications, as well as internationally recognized floating PV plant solutions. With a strong 24-year track record in the PV space, Sungrow products power installations in over 120 countries, maintaining a worldwide market share of over 15%. Learn more about Sungrow by visiting www.sungrowpower.com.
