In May 2016, Indianapolis Power and Light (IPL) brought online the first utility-scale battery storage system in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) region. IPL reports the system will be used to provide frequency regulation, as well as other reliability services.

Key Details

• The 20-MW lithium-ion battery is capable of providing frequency regulation in milliseconds, whereas traditional generation takes minutes to provide frequency regulation
• The battery system will also support operations by instantaneously matching electricity supply and demand and by increasing the ability to balance out variable renewable resources
• IPL also noted an interest in leveraging the battery system in the future to provide additional grid reliability services
• IPL announced the interconnection of the system at the White House Summit on energy storage and renewable energy integration in June 2016
• The system is located at IPL’s Harding Street Generation Station

Implications

MISO has the potential to become an emerging battery storage market. In addition to gaining operational experience from the IPL system, the RTO is working to reform tariffs to accommodate medium-term storage.

More Information

Utility Dive: First battery storage project begins operating in MISO

Utility Dive: How MISO is reforming market rules to spur storage deployment

This report is part of the Clean Tech and Sustainability Minute series. To view all featured Minutes, please click here.

Additional Contributing Author: Brian Riefler