Original Date: 01/23/1995
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

The Utility Battery Storage Systems Program, sponsored by the DOE and directed by the Storage Battery Department at Sandia, cooperates with the electric utility and manufacturing industries to develop battery storage systems. The elements of this comprehensive program are Battery Systems Analysis, Subsystems Engineering, System Integration, System Field Evaluation, and Industry Outreach. The concept behind the Utility Battery Storage System is to store electrical energy for dispatch when its use is more economical, strategic, or efficient. From the utility grid, the battery systems can store off-peak energy and return it on demand as needed.

The system consists of a power-conditioning system, batteries, a control system, and auxiliary devices that include transformers, electrical ties and interconnections, support structures for batteries, and shelter for the assembly.

The incorporation of the battery systems can provide greater utility grid stability by serving as a controllable, demand-side management option that provides customers improved power quality and uninterruptible power. By storing electrical energy, the utilities can ensure reserve power requirements, defer new power plant construction, provide support for existing transmission and distribution systems, and maintain the level of reliability and power quality that customers need and expect. The widespread introduction of battery storage systems by utilities could also benefit the U.S. economy by more than $26 billion by 2010 and create thousands of new jobs.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.