Battery Storage Project Wins Smart Energy Decisions Award

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Smart Energy Decisions has announced UMass Amherst’s “1.3 MW Battery Storage” project has won the “Higher Education Energy Storage and Microgrids” category of their Customer Project Awards in the third annual Innovation Awards competition.

The battery storage project consists of a 1.3 MW/4 MWh lithium ion battery installed by Borrego. The project was partially funded by a Massachusetts Clean Energy Center Advancing Commonwealth Energy Storage (ACES) grant.

The battery charging and discharging will be targeted to reduce peak electrical transmission and capacity demand charges, optimize onsite solar photo voltaic production and improve campus electrical system resiliency.

There is an energy storage research initiative associated with this project to be conducted concurrently by the UMass Clean Energy Extension. Additionally, Borrego will provide a significant educational contribution for UMass students consisting of sponsoring internships and providing open forums on battery storage technology.

The Smart Energy Decisions Innovation Awards recognize exemplary use and implementation of innovative technologies and progressive practices among large electric power users (customers), their suppliers and utilities that reflect new approaches to energy procurement and management.

These awards recognize outstanding work in support of the dramatic transformation taking place in today's electric power markets. As innovation is driven by effective collaboration between customers, suppliers, and utilities, the Innovation Awards will be presented in two categories: Customer Projects and Utility Partnerships.

The winners will be honored at a reception and special dinner sponsored by ENGIE North America on March 11, capping off the Smart Energy Decisions’ 2020 Innovation Summit in Houston, Texas.