Lockheed Martin will build a “megawatt-scale” long-duration, energy-storage system for the U.S. Department of Defense. The first of its type GridStar® Flow system will be installed for the U.S. Army at Fort Carson, Col., under the management of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL.)
The system is expected to store 10 hours electricity, according to Lockheed’s information. It said insights gained from the pilot project could support future deployments of long-duration storage systems for the Dept. of Defense.
Construction is due to start during Q3 2022.
The defense contractor describes GridStar Flow as a “large-capacity storage applications that stores power generated from renewable energy sources and dispatches it to electric grids during peak demand or unanticipated electricity loss.”
Lockheed said the project is intended as a demonstration unit for the Army and ERDC-CERL, and it will be tested against protocols that simulate microgrid and renewable integration, to ensure critical missions can continue in the event of a long-term power outage
“Electric grids are undergoing unprecedented change. Energy requirements are shifting as we consider renewable resources coupled with utility-scale, long-duration storage options,” stated CERL director Dr. Andrew J. Nelson. “Solutions to increase resiliency and self-sufficiency are crucial to economically and sustainably supporting DoD operations.”
Insights gained from this pilot project could support the deployment of future long-duration storage across all DoD services and installations.
“We are committed to supporting the U.S. Army’s climate strategy to foster modernization and readiness across the force, while seeking out solutions that offer a more secure, sustainable and cleaner future,” said Tom Jarvi, Lockheed Martin GridStar Flow program director. “GridStar Flow is designed to meet emerging, long-duration energy storage needs and bolster the necessary grid resilience to combat 21st century security challenges.”
Lockheed Martin, ERDC-CERL and the U.S Army plan to break ground on this GridStar Flow project in the fall.
