Duke Energy places advanced microgrid into service in Hot Springs, NC

Rhea-AI Summary

Duke Energy has launched a cutting-edge green microgrid in Hot Springs, North Carolina, equipped with a 2-megawatt solar facility and a 4.4-megawatt lithium-based battery storage system. This microgrid serves as a reliable energy source for the town during outages, capable of powering the entire community independently. It enhances grid reliability through services like voltage regulation and capacity support. The technology partner for this project is Wärtsilä, which provided the energy management system. Duke Energy aims to expand similar initiatives across its regulated areas, contributing to its clean energy transition goals.

Positive

• Installation of a 2-megawatt solar facility and 4.4-megawatt battery system enhances energy reliability.
• Microgrid can power the entire town independently during outages, significantly benefiting local residents.
• Duke Energy collaborates with Wärtsilä, showcasing advanced technology in energy management.
• This project supports Duke Energy's clean energy transition and aims to expand similar initiatives.

Negative

• None.

• Green microgrid consists only of solar generation and battery storage
• Installation will be able to power the entire town during an outage

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy has placed into service one of the nation's most advanced green microgrids in the Madison County town of Hot Springs.

The Hot Springs microgrid consists of a 2-megawatt (AC) solar facility and a 4.4-megawatt lithium-based battery storage facility. The microgrid not only provides a safe, cost-effective and reliable grid solution for serving the Hot Springs area, but it will also provide energy and additional bulk system benefits for all customers.

This will include reliability services to the electric grid, such as frequency and voltage regulation and ramping support and capacity during system peaks.

"Duke Energy has numerous smaller microgrids on our system, but this is our first microgrid that can power an entire small town if its main power line experiences an outage," said Jason Handley, general manager, Distributed Energy Group.

Hot Springs, with a population of just over 500, has limited rerouting options should an outage occur. During its testing phase, Duke Energy's microgrid was able to pick up the town's entire load from a black start without any help from the energy grid – using only the solar and battery storage to restore power. The microgrid served the town's load while the company gathered data.

"Through energy storage and microgrids, Duke Energy can enable the integration of more renewables onto the grid and help improve reliability while keeping costs affordable for customers and the communities we serve," added Handley.

Duke Energy worked with the technology company Wärtsilä, who supplied the battery energy storage system for the project. The microgrid utilizes Wärtsilä's sophisticated energy management system, the GEMS Digital Energy Platform, for integrated control of both the solar and energy storage facilities.

"The Hot Springs inverter-only-based community microgrid is a great step forward for Duke Energy and our customers. This project has reduced the need for equipment upgrades in an environmentally sensitive area," added Handley. "We are using lessons learned from this first-of-its-kind installation to take to our other microgrids under construction in Indiana and Florida. At a larger scale, microgrids bring more resiliency to the energy grid for our customers."

Duke Energy has been active with microgrids and battery storage, with over 60 megawatts connected throughout Duke Energy's regulated areas. In Asheville, Duke Energy operates a 9-megawatt lithium-ion battery system at a substation site in the Rock Hill community – near Sweeten Creek Road. In Haywood County, the company has a 3.8-kilowatt-hour lithium iron phosphate battery and 10-kilowatt solar DC microgrid installation serving a communications tower on Mount Sterling in the Smoky Mountains National Park. 

About Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 28,000 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company has interim carbon emission targets of at least 50% reduction from electric generation by 2030, 50% for Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 upstream and downstream emissions by 2035, and 80% from electric generation by 2040. In addition, the company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy storage, and exploring zero-emission power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear. 

Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2022 "World's Most Admired Companies" list and Forbes' "World's Best Employers" list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Duke Energy contact: Randy Wheeless
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
Twitter: @DE_RandyW

 

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SOURCE Duke Energy

FAQ

What is the new microgrid project by Duke Energy in Hot Springs?

Duke Energy has launched a green microgrid in Hot Springs, NC, featuring a 2-megawatt solar facility and a 4.4-megawatt battery storage system.

How does the microgrid benefit the town of Hot Springs?

The microgrid can independently power the entire town during outages, enhancing energy reliability.

What are the key features of the Hot Springs microgrid?

It includes solar generation, battery storage, and provides grid reliability services like voltage regulation.

What technology does Duke Energy use for the microgrid?

Duke Energy partnered with Wärtsilä, utilizing their GEMS Digital Energy Platform for energy management.

How does this microgrid project align with Duke Energy's goals?

The project supports Duke Energy's clean energy transition, integrating renewable energy solutions and improving reliability.