Brisbane-based battery manufacturer Redflow has teamed up with Ameresco, a cleantech integrator specialising in energy efficiency and renewable energy, to deploy a prototype microgrid for the US Department of Defence (DOD).
In an ASX announcement, the company said it has secured a USD 2.83 million (AUD 4.4 million) contract with the DOD’s Defence Innovation Unit (DIU) to deliver a prototype microgrid using a 1.2 to 1.4 MWh Redflow non-lithium long-duration energy storage (LDES) system.
The project aims to extend the duration of energy storage for existing installations and will repower a solar-powered microgrid at the Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York state.
In particular, Redflow’s 1.2 to 1.4 MWh LDES solution will be integrated into the repowered microgrid project scope, allowing the microgrid to offer a dispatchable solar + storage resource for peak shaving and energy resilience.
Redflow said its responsibilities encompass supplying the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), related engineering and integration work, program management, a two-year service agreement, and a training program.
Ameresco will handle site engineering, procurement of other equipment, site work (including the removal of old equipment and installation of new equipment), operations and maintenance of non-BESS equipment, reporting, and training.
Tim Harris, CEO and managing director of Redflow, expressed pride in being selected as the energy storage technology provider for this Department of Defence microgrid project, emphasising the potential benefits of Redflow’s LDES solutions for military installations globally.
“We have been working with the Defence Innovation Unit for the past year to support their energy resilience objectives across the military’s global operations. To be selected as the solution provider is validation that Redflow’s LDES solutions hold the potential to deliver significant benefits to US Department of Defence installations worldwide,” Harris remarked.
Meanwhile, Nicole Bulgarino, executive vice president of Ameresco, noted that the microgrid project exemplifies the deployment of innovative technologies to deliver sustainable solutions at US military installations.
Bulgarino noted, “Together with Redflow, we’re energised to witness how this microgrid will bolster base resilience and set new standards for clean energy advancement, inspiring a green and resilient future for US Department of Defence installations worldwide.”
According to the ASX-listed company, the project aims to provide energy resilience for critical loads at the Stewart Air National Guard Base and support New York state’s clean energy goals.
If successful, Redflow said this solution could be replicated across various Department of Defence facilities and critical infrastructure worldwide.
Deployment and commissioning of the system are scheduled for the second half of 2024.
