Renewable energy in Minnesota receives a battery boost with Connexus project
As the price of batteries are dropping, renewable initiatives nationwide are starting to take form. States like Arizona, Colorado, and California are working on battery storage and frequency regulation to improve the efficiency of renewable methods. Over the next few years, Minnesota will be making large movements towards renewable energy as well. Connexus, a Minnesota based energy cooperative, has just developed the largest commercial-battery deployment in the nation. Energy Transition Lab’s own Ellen Anderson was quoted in this article talking about the importance of the energy transition and the possibilities held in battery storage as well. To hear more about Minnesota’s energy initiative amid the nationwide transition click here.
The sun shines only during the day, and clouds can obscure it when it does. Prime time for wind gusts is often at night, when power demand is low. With a battery, renewable energy can be captured and pushed onto the grid when it’s most needed. “The holy grail for renewable energy is to have storage you can dispatch at any time,” said Ellen Anderson, executive director of the University of Minnesota’s Energy Transmission Lab.
