Con Edison and 174 Power Global have agreed to place the largest battery storage project in New York State on an industrial site in Astoria, Queens.
The batteries will be able to discharge 100 megawatts of electricity. 174 Power Global, which specializes in renewable energy projects, will build and own the battery system off 20th Avenue near the East River on land owned by the New York Power Authority where the former Poletti power plant used to be.
“Utility scale battery storage will play a vital role in New York’s clean energy future, especially in New York City where it will help to maximize the benefit of the wind power being developed offshore. This project with 174 Power Global will help displace some fossil fuel-fired generation when the demand for power is highest.”
Tim Cawley, the president of Con Edison.
“New York is an important market for 174 Power Global due to the state’s commitment to clean energy. We are proud to have been selected by Con Edison for this project, and we look forward to working together to help bring clean power, as well as other regional electricity and economic benefits to the Astoria community and more broadly to the state.”
174 Power Global president and CEO Henry Yun.
“Expanding battery storage is a critical part of how we advance momentum to confront the climate emergency while meeting the energy needs of all New Yorkers. Today’s announcement demonstrates how we can deliver this need at significant scale.”
Mark Chambers, director of Sustainability for the City of New York.
“The New York Power Authority is committed to moving clean energy technologies forward in support of the State’s aggressive climate leadership goals and we are pleased to have a role in this project. The adaptive reuse of this land for energy storage development will help realize continued growth of renewable energy and bring greater flexibility and resiliency to New York State’s electric grid. This is just a first step in using our assets as a catalyst and test bed for clean energy technologies.”
Gil C. Quiniones, NYPA president and CEO.
The 100-megawatt/400 megawatt hour East River Energy Storage System will hold enough electricity to run more than 16,000 homes for several hours during a summer heat wave. It’s enough to power the World Trade Center for about a day.
With battery storage, it’s possible to capture energy that renewable resources generate but that customers do not need immediately. That energy can be stored and discharged at times when the demand for power exceeds the capacity of the renewable generators.
The project fits well with the coming addition of large amounts of renewable energy to the state’s portfolio, including 9,000 megawatts from offshore wind turbines.
The batteries will be charged from the grid at times when the demand for power is low and less expensive. They will be discharged at times when the demand for power is high, decreasing the need for power from fossil fuel-fired plants.
174 Power Global is responsible for obtaining the permits to build and operate the project by the end of 2022. The batteries will be in dozens of containers and connected to a nearby Con Edison transmission substation. The batteries will produce no emissions and little noise.
