LG Energy Solution batteries power world’s largest ESS project

LG Energy Solution said Thursday it has completed the supply of its new battery system TR1300 to the world’s largest energy storage systems project in California, which is able to power 225,000 households during peak hours.

According to the South Korean battery manufacturer, the 1.2-gigawatt-hour ESS facility, developed by Texas-based power generation firm Vistra, is equipped with 4,500 TR1300 battery racks.

Vistra connected the energy storage systems to the power grid and began operation in December at the company’s natural gas power station in Monterey County, California. Vistra plans to add another 400-megawatt-hour ESS by August.

“Unlike traditional methods in which racks and battery packs are shipped separately and assembled onsite, the 22-pack TR1300s are preassembled at the factory prior to shipment to reduce construction time and associated installation costs,” an LG Energy Solution official said, adding that the company looks forward to continuing the partnership with Vistra for the additional 400-megawatt-hour project.

To ensure safety, the TR1300 model has been tested to comply with UL9540A, the industry’s fire safety standards. Also, the model’s design meets the California Building Code following the American Society of Civil Engineers’ ASCE 7-16 to assure stable operations during external environmental changes such as seismic tremors.

According to SNE Research, the US controlled almost half of the global ESS market last year. The size of the US energy storage systems market is expected to reach 55.3 gigawatt-hours by 2025, from last year’s 6.5 gigawatt-hours, with an annual average growth of 54 percent.

An energy storage system is a huge battery the size of a container that can store excess electricity generated by renewable sources such as solar power, and discharge the power when demand peaks later.

By Kim Byung-wook (kbw@heraldcorp.com)