MTA LI Bus and NYPA Install First Sodium Sulfur
Battery Energy Storage System In State
Green Project to Cut Refueling Costs
Contact:
Kevin Ortiz or Aaron Donovan, MTA, (212) 878-7440
Jerry Mikorenda, MTA LI Bus, (516) 542-0100, ext. 4352
Connie M. Cullen, NYPA, (914) 390-8196
January 9, 2009
(photos,
video
from press conference and
transcript)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GARDEN CITY—New York Power Authority (NYPA)
President and Chief Executive Officer Richard M. Kessel,
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Executive Director and
Chief Executive Officer Elliot G. Sander and Senior Vice President -
NYCT Department of Buses, President - MTA Bus, President - LI Bus
(MTA LI Bus) Joseph J. Smith today announced the successful
installation of the first advanced sodium sulfur battery energy
storage system (BESS) in New York State. The BESS is used at an MTA
LI Bus depot here for storing electricity to reduce refueling costs
for over 220 natural gas-powered buses by about $246,500 a year.
“This is the first use of this type of advanced
battery energy storage technology on the customer-side of the
electric meter in New York and anywhere in the United States. It
has wide-ranging possibilities including expanding renewable energy
resources, which is a key element of Governor Paterson’s plans to
encourage greater energy independence in New York,” said Richard M.
Kessel, president and chief executive officer, New York Power
Authority. “Storing energy based on this process has the potential
to capture intermittent sources such as wind or tidal power and then
provide this clean energy when it is needed most.”
“The MTA is leaving no stone unturned in its search
for ways to reduce controllable costs,” said Elliot G. Sander,
executive director and chief executive officer, Metropolitan
Transportation Authority. “Through this advanced battery
technology, we have reduced our energy expenses by shifting our
electricity purchases to low-demand periods when it is inexpensive.
We appreciate the expertise and financing assistance from NYPA that
made this trial possible.”
“LI Bus is pleased to be an active participant with
NYPA in developing this innovative technology,” said Joseph J.
Smith, senior vice president - NYCT Department of Buses, president -
MTA Bus, president - LI Bus. “This advanced battery storage system
allows LI Bus to improve its energy efficiency, reduce costs and
provide emergency backup power while utilizing an environmentally
responsible technology. We look forward to additional opportunities
to leverage other technologies to reduce our expenses in an
environmentally-friendly way.”
“NYSERDA’s interest in sodium sulfur battery
electric storage development and testing dates back to 2001. This
$1 million investment, along with our $3.6 million for Long Island
Bus natural gas-powered bus purchases, brings our total interest to
about $5 million. This project, a direct synthesis of those early
efforts, refuels mass-transit vehicles in an innovative,
cost-cutting way and cuts air pollution,” noted Robert G. Callender,
vice president for Programs, New York State Energy Research and
Development Authority (NYSERDA). “These are key tenets in Gov.
Paterson’s Renewable Energy Task Force reforms for the future of the
Empire State.”
“Advanced energy storage will be a vital component
of our renewable and traditional energy strategies to meet our
future goals of a diversified portfolio and is consistent with
Governor Paterson’s 45 X 15 initiative announced just this week in
his State of the State message,” said Kevin S. Law, president and
chief executive officer of the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA).
“LIPA remains committed to working with NYPA to advance battery
storage technology and other energy projects to help meet future
demand in our region.”
"This advanced battery application, a first of its
kind, will show the way to many more such facilities throughout the
U.S. and will help pave the way toward a greener and more resilient
electrical grid," said Dr. Imre Gyuk, program manager, Energy
Storage Research, U.S. Department of Energy.
“The NYPA NAS battery demonstration project is the
first U.S. use of this technology in a utility-customer
application,” said Arshad Mansoor, vice president of EPRI’s Power
Delivery and Utilization sector. “The project is expected to provide
the customer with improved reliability and energy efficiency. EPRI
provided assistance to NYPA in two major areas of this project. We
obtained collaborative participation with a diverse group of utility
companies representing all regions of the country with different
business objectives for energy storage, and we provided technical
assistance at several important project junctures, including support
for factory testing and development of a long-term maintenance
strategy.”
"Offering technological solutions that reduce
environmental impact while lowering energy costs is one of our key
focuses,” said Mike Wallin, North American vice president and
general manager, Power Electronics, ABB, Inc. “ABB is proud to have
been selected to contribute to the success of this important
project."
“Con Edison recognizes the long- term importance of
energy storage to improve asset utilization and make effective use
of future renewable capacity that may not be available coincident
with peak demand. Energy storage technologies, such as the NAS
battery demonstrated by this project, are essential to fully
integrate and maximize t he reliability of the future grid,” said
Pat Duggan, R&D Project Manager, Consolidated Edison Co. of NY,
Inc. “In the tradition of Thomas Edison, we appreciate the
opportunity to learn more about these devices, their interconnection
requirements, and how they might benefit the Con Edison system and
the electric power industry throughout the country.”
“CPS Energy (San Antonio, Texas) is excited by the
success of NYPA’s and MTA LI Bus’ energy storage project,” stated Al
Lujan, executive vice president for Energy Delivery, CPS Energy.
“As one of the participants in the funding collaborative with other
EPRI members, we have observed with great interest as the BESS
project advanced. CPS Energy’s Research and Technology Initiatives
department is currently developing our company’s energy storage
pilot project, the first of its kind in the State of Texas, and is
incorporating into the project plan the information and experiences
that NYPA has shared with its research partners. It is clear to us
that energy storage is the key to full and reliable integration of
renewable resources into the power grid and that public/private
partnerships are the most efficient and effective methods for
developing and implementing new energy-focused technologies. CPS
Energy is pleased to have been a partner in this game-changing
endeavor.”
NYSERDA and several partners helped fund the
installation and demonstration of the BESS which powers the electric
motors for three compressors used to refuel natural gas busses,
owned and operated by MTA LI Bus, during the day. The BESS then
automatically recharges itself, using power from the electric grid
at night when rates are lower, creating energy savings. Previously,
to take advantage of night rates, MTA LI Bus limited compressor
operations for fueling to nighttime requiring a third shift with
full maintenance staffing. With the BESS, MTA LI Bus is able to
move fueling to the day and reduce the third shift to save operating
costs.
As the primary benefits of the BESS are reducing
costs for energy and operating, this project is expected to save
about $26,500 a year in utility bills and an additional $220,000
annual savings in labor costs. Additional benefits of the BESS are
that it is virtually noiseless, produces no emissions and requires
minimal maintenance.
The BESS consists of a sodium sulfur (NaS) battery
system; power controls and other related systems. When fully
charged the BESS is capable of providing one megawatt (mw) of power
to the compressors for up to seven hours a day. It can operate
seven days a week.
In order to demonstrate the commercial viability
for the BESS, NYPA originated the concept for this project to help
save energy costs for its customer the MTA, the parent company of
MTA LI Bus. NYPA proposed the BESS to MTA LI Bus and provided
overall project management including assistance with financing.
For the total project cost of $4.3 million, NYPA
helped to attract $2.4 million in funding from the New York State
Energy Research and Development Authority, the United States
Department of Energy, Sandia National Laboratories, the Electric
Power Research Institute, the Long Island Power Authority, the
American Public Power Association, the Centre for Energy Advancement
through Technological Innovation (CEATI) International Inc.,
Natural Resources Canada and several other partners. Included in
this funding was $300,000 provided from Petroleum Overcharge
Restitution funds administered by NYPA.
The NaS battery system was supplied by NGK
Insulators, Ltd of Japan. The Power Electronics division, located
in Wis., of ABB, Inc., an international technology company
headquartered in Switzerland, supplied the power controls for
charging and discharging the batteries, and did the installation.
A data acquisition system for long-term performance
monitoring was provided by Sandia National Laboratories, of N.M.,
and EnerNex Corporation, based in Tenn.
In addition to BESS,
the MTA and NYPA have been partners on almost 70 energy services
projects at 75 MTA facilities resulting in energy savings totaling
of over $5.5 million per year for commuters and taxpayers. These
projects also annually save almost 8.5 megawatts of electricity
(enough to power about 6,800 to 8,500 homes using average national
home sizes) and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 42 tons.
Since the early
1990’s NYPA has also worked with other entities including
municipalities and school districts all over Nassau and Suffolk
Counties to advance the use energy technologies and energy
efficiency projects. There have been a total of almost 125 projects
at over 380 facilities saving taxpayers annually over $14.5 million
and reducing greenhouse gases by more than 71 tons per year.
Complete List of Project Funders and
Partners:
American Public Power Association’s DEED program
CEATI International Inc.
Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc.
CPS Energy
Electric Power Research Institute
FirstEnergy Corp.
Hydro One
Hydro-Quebec
Long Island Power Authority
Metropolitan Transportation Authority Long Island Bus
Natural Resources Canada
New York Power Authority
New York Independent System Operator
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
Public Service Electric and Gas Company
San Diego Gas & Electric
Sandia National Laboratories
Southern Company
Tennessee Valley Authority
United States Department of Energy
About NYPA:
■ NYPA uses no tax money or
state credit. It finances its operations through the sale of
bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of
electricity. ■ NYPA is a leader in promoting
energy-efficiency, new energy technologies and electric
transportation initiatives. ■ It is the
nation’s largest state-owned electric utility, with 18 generating
facilities in various parts of the state and more than 1,400
circuit-miles of transmission lines.
About MTA:
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority
oversees budgeting, planning and policy for one of the largest mass
transportation systems in the world. The MTA's network of trains,
subways and buses provide 8.5 million rides per day, operating 24
hours a day, seven days a week over a 5,000-square-mile region. The
network links the diverse parts of New York, enabling residents and
visitors to get where they want to go swiftly and at reasonable
cost. The MTA services offer the region efficient, environmentally
sound travel alternatives to gridlocked streets and highways. And
the mobility provided by the MTA helps ensure New York's place as a
world center of finance, commerce, culture and entertainment.
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