Catalina Island turns to energy storage to cut emissions

Southern California Edison is deploying an energy storage system on Catalina Island to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the island’s diesel generators.

With no tie to the mainland grid, Catalina Island relies on diesel generators to produce electricity. However, such generators aren’t ideal for managing power demand, which fluctuates throughout the day. By deploying stored energy during times of peak power demand, the one-megawatt Smart Grid SMS Storage Management System from S&C Electric Company will enable the island’s generators to run at a specific percentage of capacity for optimal performance and decreased carbon emissions.

The energy storage system uses built-in intelligence to control charging and discharging of sodium-sulfur batteries.

“Working with an islanded grid poses unique challenges for reliable power delivery,” said Thomas Barker, senior engineer at Southern California Edison. “Installing a comprehensive storage system helps us run more efficiently and reduce our emissions — all while effectively managing load changes to ensure consistent service for our 3,000 island residents plus the many visitors to the island.”

Energy storage systems are increasingly being deployed in both grid- and non-grid-connected parts of the world. S&C has installed 12 megawatts of sodium-sulfur battery storage throughout the US since 2006, and has another 12 megawatts planned for 2011. Among the completed projects are three of the world’s first islanding applications.

“Energy storage enhances utilization of renewable energy resources, and it reduces the need for fossil-fuel-fired generation to serve peak demand and maintain a stable grid,” said Jim Sember, vice president of power quality products at S&C.