AES Turns to Indiana with Latest Battery-Storage Development

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--AES Corporation (NYSE:AES) (Arlington, Virginia) hopes its Indiana-based subsidiary can refurbish parts of a retiring coal-fired power plant to accommodate a battery energy-storage system (BESS). The plant already is being converted to burn natural gas, but AES believes a BESS could help it make up for capacity shortfalls predicted for the winter months, according to the company's recently published integrated resource plan. Industrial Info is tracking about $1.8 billion worth of BESS projects in Indiana, and $4.35 billion worth nationwide from AES.

Click on the image at right for a graph detailing BESS projects from AES, by U.S. state.

The proposed BESS unit at the Petersburg Generating Station in Petersburg, Indiana, would have a 200-megawatt (MW) capacity. AES would build it alongside its proposed conversion of two coal-fired units to burn natural gas, which would maintain the units' total output of 1,052 MW. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database can read detailed reports on the BESS unit and conversions.

AES Indiana submitted its plans for the Petersburg Generating Station to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission last week. The company already is preparing to begin construction later this year on the $297 million Petersburg Energy Center, which would be located nearby and generate 430 MW from photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. Fluence Energy, an affiliate of AES' Indiana subsidiary, is heading up the project. Subscribers can learn more from Industrial Info's project report.

Two other BESS projects under construction in Indiana are from NextEra Energy Incorporated (NYSE:NEE) (Juno Beach, Florida), one of which is set to be completed later this year: the $75 million addition to the $375 million Dunns Bridge Solar Plant in Tefft. The BESS unit is expected to carry up to 75 MW from the 265-MW solar plant; NextEra also is preparing for a $530 million expansion to the solar plant that would generate another 435 MW. PV panels will be provided by Canadian Solar Incorporated (NASDAQ:CSIQ) (Guelph, Ontario).

When completed, Dunns Bridge will be the largest solar array east of the Mississippi River, according to the company. It will replace some of the generation lost from the closure of the coal-fired Schahfer Generating Station, which is set for 2025. Subscribers can read detailed project reports on the Dunns Bridge BESS unit, and Phase I and Phase II solar plants.

"With the existing coal facility coming offline, this area provides a great opportunity to take its place with clean energy," said Zach Melda, a project manager for NextEra, to the Kankakee Valley Post News. "Transmission infrastructure is already in place, and the land surrounding the facility is farmland that is not as productive as most areas in the county, due to the soil content."

Next year, NextEra is slated to finish construction on the $330 million Cavalry Solar Plant in Monon, Indiana, which includes 200 MW of solar generation and a 60-MW BESS. PV panels will be provided by Jinko Solar (NYSE:JKS) (Shanghai, China). Subscribers can learn more from Industrial Info's project report.

Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI project and plant databases can click here for a full list of detailed reports for projects mentioned in this article, and click here for a full list of related plant profiles.

Subscribers can click here for a full list of reports for active and proposed BESS projects in Indiana, and can click here for a full list of reports for active and proposed BESS projects nationwide from AES.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).