Unitil, (unitil.com), a provider of natural gas and electricity to customers in New England, has installed a state-of-art energy storage and management system in Townsend, Mass. to help maximize the efficiency of renewable energy and lower costs in the region.
“This is a first for our company. It’s so much more than just a ‘battery’ project. It utilizes newer technologies in order to create a smarter, more dynamic electric grid, giving the Townsend area one of the most advanced electric infrastructures in all of New England,” Alec O’Meara, Media Relations Manager for Unitil, said. “The customers served by this substation will be among the first in the region to benefit from true “Smart Grid” technology.”
It took approximately two years to design and install the lithium batteries and operating system, which fill one tractor-trailer sized and another smaller container. It’s considered “Smart Grid” technology because energy stored at the substation will reduce load during key hours of the day, which also eliminates the need for future expensive upgrades at the substation level.
Customers will benefit from the network because it manages the electricity with real-time adjustments to both voltage and direction in order to maximize the efficiency of renewable energy in the region. Meanwhile the battery in the substation is charged and ready to deploy its load at peak usage times, lowering electric costs for customers. According to Unitil, the initiative aligns with the state’s goal of installing energy storage systems throughout the electric grid in the Commonwealth. Unitil received a $1.2 million state grant toward the project.
"It’s so much more than just a ‘battery’ project. It utilizes newer technologies in order to create a smarter, more dynamic electric grid, giving the Townsend area one of the most advanced electric infrastructures in all of New England.”
Media Relations Manager, Alec O'Meara
“To give the project context, the batteries can power up to 1,300 homes for two hours, which represents two percent of our electric need for our entire service territory in the state,” O’Meara added. “By taking advantage of advanced software, storage capacity and the renewable energy from homeowners and businesses, it helps customers save effortlessly: this is Unitil’s vision of a smarter energy future.“
